


The Doctor's Healer

by Shadowhunter_Artemis



Series: Daughter of Time [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Betrayal, Cheating, Empath, F/M, Realisation of feelings, Time Travel, friendship to romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 19:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 59
Words: 103,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18835729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowhunter_Artemis/pseuds/Shadowhunter_Artemis
Summary: The Doctor wasn't sure if he could possibly move on from losing Rose. That is until he met Alyssa Palmer, the granddaughter of Emma Grayling the empathic psychic. The gifted girl did what no one else could, healed him.





	1. The Lodger

“Morning mum”, Alyssa said entering the kitchen.

“Morning honey. Tea?” Sarah asked.

“Sure”, Alyssa said pouring out cereal into a bowl. “Room for rent? Mum seriously?” she said when she noticed the flyer on the counter behind her.

“We have a spare room and it’s not being used for anything besides the extra cash will come in handy”, Sarah replied placing two mugs of tea on the counter.

“It wouldn’t need to be if you weren’t still paying divorce money to that git”

“Language Alyssa!”

“I’m sorry mum but he’s the one who ran off with the blonde bimbo, leaving you to raise me on your own”, Alyssa said “what was it he called me? Oh that’s right, a freak. Just like his own mother”

Sarah reached across and placed a hand over her daughter’s “You are not a freak and your grandmother certainly wasn’t one either. She was a lovely woman and I wish you could’ve met her”

“Yeah me too”, Alyssa said. Her paternal grandmother was none other than Emma Grayling, an empathic psychic. It seems as if the gene for psychic abilities seem to skip her father, Mathew Palmer, and be passed onto her. One of the theories Alyssa had was that that only female descendants of Emma Grayling had psychic abilities. However, as both her father and herself were only children, there was no way to test it.

“Even though dad isn’t a big fan of me, he still should be giving you money too. As I’m pretty sure there is something like that in those divorce documents you both have”

“Your father will be giving paying what he owes as soon as he gets on his feet”

“Gets back on his feet? Mum he’s living with a ruddy supermodel. I think he should be able to pay you what he owes. God knows that woman makes plenty for strutting up and down the catwalk”

“Unfortunately it’s just the way it is”

“Life sucks”, Alyssa grumbled.

“You’ve got that right but you don’t need to worry honey”

“I can’t help but worry mum”

“Well you need to stop because I think I see a grey hair here”, Sarah joked leaning over and tugging a loose strand of her daughter’s red hair.

“Mum!”

“I’m just kidding honey”

“You’re hilarious”, Alyssa said sarcastically. She finished up her mug of tea and stood up “Right, I’ve got to go to work. See you later”, she said kissing her mother on the cheek. “Oh and your very likely to attract weirdos with that advert”, Alyssa added picking up her bag. “No wait, not a weirdo. A mad man”, she corrected “A mad man with a box”

“One of your ‘feelings?’” Sarah asked.

“Could be. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see”, she said with a smile before leaving the room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Morning Ali”, Steve, one of the fellow workers greeted as she entered the Coffeehouse where she spent four days a week working. 

“Morning Steve”, Alyssa said going behind the counter to the head to the staff room. She put her bag in her cubby hole and tied her apron around her to start her shift. Alyssa wandered around with her tray carrying customers’ orders. “Here you go Joseph. One cup of Earl Grey tea and a slice of apple pie”, she said placing it down at an elderly man’s table.

“Thank you Alyssa”

“You’re welcome. How are you today?”

“Very well”

“Good. Give me a shout if you want a top up”, she told the regular before going back to the counter to pick up the next orders.

“Don’t forget to be back in an hour”, Steve said when Alyssa clocked off for her lunch break.

“I’ll be counting the seconds”, she replied grabbing her bag and leaving the Coffeehouse. Alyssa walked to a nearby park where she was going to meet her boyfriend for lunch. She sat down on a bench and waited. Half an hour went by, no sign of him. The young woman sighed and decided to eat her lunch. As she did her phone buzzed. It was a text message from Ben saying that he couldn’t make it. _This is the second time this week_ she thought texting him back saying ‘don’t worry about it’.

Alyssa finished up her lunch and went back to work. She took Steve’s place behind the counter creating the drinks orders and he left as his shift was over. While she was making a latte for one of students currently sitting in the corner with his friends, she happened to look up at the TV screen mounted on the wall. The lunch news was playing a story. _What is it with these deaths?_ She thought as the reporter announced it being the 5th in a row with the same MO.

“How many more deaths does there need to be before the police catch this guy?” Ellie asked as she stood by the till.

“I have no idea”, Alyssa replied.

“Hang on. I know her”, Ellie said quietly when the picture of the latest victim came up.

“We’ll finish this in a sec”, Alyssa said placing the drinks on the tray and carrying it to the corner table. “How?” Alyssa asked when she came back behind the counter. 

“Because she came in here couple of days ago”, Ellie replied. “Don’t you remember?”

“I wasn’t in then. Stomach bug”

“Oh right”, Ellie said remembering.

“Wait, do you remember when the police came in here last week to talk to us about a couple of the other people?” Alyssa asked recalling that conversation.

“You’re right”, Ellie said also realising. “Should we tell the police about this?”

“It might be a good idea”, Alyssa replied agreeing.

“I’ve got a day off tomorrow, would you come with me after your shift?”

“Of course”, Alyssa said before going to refill a customer’s mug. Around 4:30 Alyssa left the Coffeehouse as her shift was over. She drove back to her home in her little blue mini.

“Mum I’m home!” she called as she entered the house.

“In the living room!” she heard her mother call back. Alyssa dumped her bag in the hallway and went into the room. She was surprised to see a man wearing a blue suit and converse sitting in the armchair.

“Alyssa this is John. He going to be our lodger for a while”, Sarah said. The man stood and shook Alyssa’s hand. Alyssa could feel the sadness coming off him, like he’d lost something or someone very close to him recently. She could relate to that. Losing her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth, was very hard on her. Especially when she could feel her mother’s own grief as well which sometimes made living day to day almost unbearable. It took a stranger with a piece of advice to spur her to keep going not only for herself but for her mother as well. She never did see that stranger in the grave yard again because if she did, she would’ve thanked him.

“Pleasure to meet you John”, Alyssa said politely.

“Likewise”

“I was going to order in tonight anything you fancy?” Sarah asked.

“Mum we have plenty of food. I think our guest would rather have a proper meal for his first night here”

“I don’t mind”, John said putting his hands in his pockets.

“Well I do so I’m going to do dinner”, Alyssa said firmly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What are you making for dinner?” John asked coming into the kitchen and leaning against the counter.

“Bolognese. You’re not allergic to anything in it are you?”

“No”

“Good. The last thing I want to do is make our new lodger ill”, Alyssa said

“Wouldn’t be a good start”

“No it wouldn’t”, Alyssa agreed.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Thank you for the offer but I’d rather do it on my own. My mum says that I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to making dinner. Mostly because if I leave her to it, she’ll burn the dinner and probably half the kitchen”

John laughed “so she’s terrible at making dinner?”

“You have no idea. I’ll give you a shout when it’s done”, Alyssa said. John nodded and left the room. It was about 20 minutes later when she was dishing up the meal.

“It looks delicious Ali”

“Thank you”, Alyssa said and they tucked into the meal. “So John what do you do?” she asked their new house guest when they nearly finished.

“Not much. I’m travelling at the moment”

“Oh? Been anywhere interesting?”

“Here and there”, the Doctor said vaguely

“Maybe you could suggest some places. Alyssa and her boyfriend Ben are planning to spend a week touring Europe next month”

“I’d rather you don’t talk about my love life with our guest”, Alyssa said quickly clearing up the plates and carried them to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry honey I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable”

“That’s ok mum. I’m just a little tired of his forgetfulness, he stood me up today at lunch. I’ve lost count how many times that happened”, Alyssa said angrily putting the dishes in the sink.

“Maybe you should stop giving so many chances”

“Maybe but I can’t help it. I love the guy even with his forgetfulness”, Alyssa said starting to wash up the plates.

“By the way he isn’t”, Sarah said confusing Alyssa.

“He isn’t a mad man with a box”

Alyssa dropped the plate she’d been washing. Thankfully it didn’t break as it landed in the washing up bowl. “Why would you even ask hm if he was?”

“You’re the one who said he might be”

“I never said _he_ might be, I just said our lodger could be”

“I distinctly remember you saying mad _man_. John fits that gender”

“You still shouldn’t have asked him. It was only a ‘feeling’”

“It may have only been a ‘feeling’ but I still had to check. I wasn’t going to let any random stranger live with us if he was going to be a danger to you”, Sarah said.

“Because I’m your baby girl?” Alyssa asked. Sarah had always been pretty protective of Alyssa especially since she had to raise her on her own. Sometimes she could be a little too overprotective and Alyssa has had to remind her that she wasn’t a child anymore. To which her mother would reply ‘no matter how old you are, you’ll always be my baby girl’.

“Exactly”


	2. 6th victim claimed

When Alyssa went into the kitchen she was surprised to see John standing at the hob cooking. “Morning Alyssa”, he said cheerily.

“Morning”, she replied going to the kettle.

“Pancakes?”

“Sure”

Alyssa sat on the stool watching John put a pancake on a plate and placed it front of her. “So what will you be doing today?” she asked between mouthfuls of pancake. 

“I don’t know. I’ll find something to do”

“Man this is good. You’ll have to teach me how to make these”

“Sure. I can teach you after your shift at the Coffeehouse”

“How did you know where I worked?”

“Your mum told me”

“Ah. Well I won’t be coming home straight after work. I have a thing with a friend. Hopefully it shouldn’t take too long”, Alyssa said standing up “I’ll see you later John”.

“See you later Alyssa”

The woman nodded and left the room. She said goodbye to her mother who was relaxing on her bed. Soon after Alyssa had exited the home, the Doctor left as well hanging a TARDIS key around his neck. He followed the red head at a discrete distance to the Coffeehouse where she worked. Yesterday he’d been looking into those deaths himself. The first thing that he discovered upon examining the bodies is that there was no signs of trauma nor any obvious causes of death. It was as if they just simple had the life sucked out of them. Then the Time Lord noticed the strange mark on the left hand of each of the victims which told him that it wasn’t an ordinary human killer, it was alien.

As he walked he recalled what Alyssa had said about the victims last night when he had seen what she was looking at on her laptop.

_“Well according to Ellie the latest one Miss Groves, she came into the Coffeehouse two days ago. The police came in last week to talk to us about victims 3 and 4 as they too had been customers. Now I look at the first two victims. The first I know because he’s a commuter that came in every day for a cappuccino and chicken pasty for about 6 months until he was killed 3 weeks ago. I don’t know about the second victim but if the other four were either onetime customers or regulars then it’s not a stretch to say the he too was a customer”_

The Doctor stopped when Alyssa paused and glanced back. She looked straight at him but he knew she couldn’t see him because of the perception filter. Alyssa shook her head and continued walking. “Morning Steve, Becky”, she greeted coming into the Coffeehouse, completely unaware of the Doctor slipping in behind her.

“Morning Ali”, Steve and Becky said in unison.

The Doctor sat at the corner table watching customers slowly filter in. Some staying and some just grabbing a drink to go. Alyssa walked around handing out drinks, occasionally her gazed drifted over to a corner table. She felt like there was someone sitting there, someone unseen. _That’s ridiculous Ali. There’s no one there._ The woman shook her head and went back to the counter where Becky had the next orders of drinks and food. She carried the tray over to the table it was meant for and put the stuff down. Alyssa put the tray back on the counter, her gaze going back to the empty table. The Doctor was positive that no one could see him due to the perception filter but the way Alyssa kept looking over at the table he was sitting at… was it possible she could see him somehow?

He shook his head. She couldn’t see him in the street so she couldn’t see him now. Although hearing that conversation between mother and daughter the night before made him think there was more to Alyssa than first glance. After all it was her who’d been the one to say that their lodger could be a mad man with a box, those 5 words summed him up pretty well. 

Alyssa left the Coffeehouse when it was time for her lunch break. The Doctor watched her go before turning his attention to the customers. As all the victims were customers of the Coffeehouse, it was safe to assume that the killer hung out here as well. It was around an hour later when Alyssa came back and Steve left shortly afterwards.

“Let me guess café Latte with soy milk”, the red head said when Tanya Barrett, a reporter, came in about half two.

“You remembered”

“Well you come in the same time around every day”, Alyssa said. Over the years Alyssa had gotten good at sensing people’s moods which helped immensely whenever she had a customer who was stressed out. With those kinds of people she learned to be quick when completing orders and knew never to ask about their day. Tanya was a different story, she seemed to have one constant mood or at least she did whenever she was in the Coffeehouse. Her presence was rather calming especially on a very busy day.

“Though I prefer your latte’s over the one that lad does on Friday, it’s not the same”

“I’m flattered. Mug or to go?”

“Mug please”

“There you go”, Alyssa said handing the mug over.

“Thank you”, Tanya said taking it, her hand briefly touched Alyssa’s. Alyssa brought her hand back quickly as if she’d been burned. The red head turned around to clean up the coffee machine as Tanya spoke again “Actually I was wondering if I could talk to you about the deaths”

“I’m sorry Miss Barrett but I’m really busy at the moment”, Alyssa said. Tanya noticed the change in the tone in her voice but didn’t say anything about it. She just took her coffee and sat down at a table. The Doctor also heard the change of the tone in her voice from across the room. He took off the TARDIS key from around his neck and went up to the counter.

“Hello”

“Hi John”, Alyssa said sounding slightly more cheerful. She turned around “what can I get for you?”

“Tea please”

“One tea coming right up. Any food?”

“Nah I’m good. You ok?” the Doctor asked. Alyssa could sense his concern for her. She wasn’t sure why he would be though.

“I’m fine”, she replied turning to the machine for the tea.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m fine honestly”, she said rubbing her hand. “Here’s you tea”, Alyssa said handing it to him.

“Thank you. Do you mind if I hang out around here?”

“Not at all. Just stick to the end of the counter”, Alyssa replied.

“What time does your shift end? We could walk back together”

“I’d love to but I’ve got that thing with my friend Ellie”, Alyssa replied. She chatted to the man in between making drinks for customers. Around 3:30 two plain clothed police officers entered the Coffeehouse. One went up to the counter while the other went to speak to Tanya who was still here.

“Miss Palmer?”

“Yes”

“I’m Detective Foster. I’d like you to come down to the station with me. We need to ask you a few questions”

“Why? What’s this about?”

“Ellie Johnson”

“I know her, she’s a good friend. Is she ok?” Alyssa asked worried.

“I’m afraid she’s dead”

Alyssa’s eyes widened and she dropped the cup she’d been holding. She stared at the Detective hardly able to form words. Becky who’d been by the till came over when she heard the cup smash. She put her arm around her friend “does she need to come to the station Detective?” she asked having heard the conversation.

“I’m afraid so”

“Well do you mind if I took her in the back for a few minutes?”

“Of course. I’m really sorry Miss Palmer”, Detective Foster said as Becky manoeuvred a shocked Alyssa from around the counter and into the back room. The Doctor watched Becky escort Alyssa away. He knew exactly how she felt, he’d lost people too. _Like Rose_ he thought. Although she was alive and safe in a parallel world, it was still hard for him to move on. Rose Tyler had been his first companion since the Time War. She’d been the one who’d helped him feel like that Doctor again.

Steve called up his boss Mrs Michaelson and told her what had happened. The woman came down from her office to help him explain the situation to the customers and that they were closing early. Eventually everyone had left except Tanya and the Doctor. However, the Time Lord was ushered out of the Coffeehouse too. He left without compliant and waited outside for red haired woman to appear. When she did, she told him to let her mother know where she was going. The Doctor agreed.

As Tanya got into the police car she looked straight at the Doctor and smirked, her face changing briefly. The Time Lord stiffened when he saw this. The second the car pulled away, he sprinted back to the Palmer’s house to get his TARDIS as he knew that Alyssa was in danger.


	3. Marked for death

When they reached the police station, Detective Foster took Alyssa into his office. “So what questions did you want to ask me?” she asked sniffling a little. She’d been holding in her tears during the ride but it was difficult to do so. “Thank you”, she said when he handed a box of tissues.

“So you said Miss Johnson was a good friend of yours”, Detective Foster said opening up a file on the desk.

“That’s right”

“And the two of you work together at the Coffeehouse“

“Yes”

“How did she seem yesterday? Was she upset in anyway?”

“Ellie was fine yesterday until…”

“Until what Miss Palmer?”

“Until we saw the story on the um latest victim Miss Groves”, Alyssa replied blowing her nose “She and I were going to come here today after my shift. Ellie made a comment about Miss Groves which I suggested that the police might need to know”.

“What would that be?”

“Miss Groves was a customer at the Coffeehouse three days ago. I was off at the time but Ellie recognised her”

“Another one from the Coffeehouse. Did anyone hear you talk about this yesterday?”

“Most likely. We were talking quietly but it’s possible that someone heard. Detective Foster do you think that the killer overheard the conversation we had and killed her for it?”

“It’s the current theory we’re working with. Did you and Miss Johnson talk about anything else to do with the deaths?”

“No we didn’t”

“Was any of your customers acting strange yesterday?”

“Our regulars were acting the same but I don’t know about the other customers. Sorry”, Alyssa replied absentmindedly rubbing her hand.

“That’s alright is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”

“Well I don’t know if you already know this but the first victim used to be a regular coming in every morning around 8:00 until he was killed”, Alyssa said.

“Thank you Miss Palmer. For your safety we will be leaving some people outside your house tonight”

“You think the killer might try to get me?” Alyssa asked panicked.

“Maybe. We will do everything we can to find this killer. In the meantime both you and Miss Barrett will have police outside your homes”

“May I ask why is Tanya here?”

“She met up with your friend earlier today”, Detective Foster replied vaguely. Alyssa didn’t press as she knew he probably wasn’t allowed to tell her any more than that. “Thank you Miss Palmer for answering my questions and I’m really sorry for your loss”, the Detective Foster said standing up and they shook hands.

“Thank you Detective Foster. I hope you do catch this guy soon. Where’s the ladies?”

The policeman showed her where it was and Alyssa went in. As soon as she shut the door, she broke down in tears. The woman jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Tanya.

“I’m really sorry about Ellie. She was a lovely woman”, she said.

“Yeah she was”, Alyssa agreed wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. “I can’t believe that one of the customers could’ve killed Ellie”

“I know”, Tanya said placing a hand on her shoulder. Alyssa glanced up at the mirror and was startled at what she saw. She quickly moved away from Tanya, green eyes wide.

“You…the reflection…” she stammered trying to get her head around what she saw “what the hell are you?”

“I’m human Alyssa. Just like you”

“No you-you’re face… it-it”, Alyssa trailed off sinking down onto the bathroom floor.

“You’re in shock. It’s natural to imagine things that aren’t real. Come on let’s get you home”, Tanya said reaching for the red head.

“Don’t touch me”, Alyssa snapped quickly getting to her feet. Something was screaming at her to get as far away from Tanya as possible. Gone was the calming effect the reporter had on her, it was replaced with something else…fear. Alyssa had to get out of the police station now! She ripped open the bathroom door and ran. She wasn’t going to stop until she hit the street. Alyssa was too preoccupied in getting away from Tanya that she collided with a body. A pair of hands grabbed her upper arms to stop her from falling.

“Alyssa? What’s wrong?” the Doctor asked seeing that she was terrified. She didn’t say anything, just glanced back. Tanya was standing rather casually looking at the pair. Alyssa looked back at the Doctor and he put two and two together. He took her hand and calmly led her out of the police station.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor sat the girl down on one of the armchairs and went to make her a cup of tea. “Thank you”, Alyssa said taking the cup from him. Instead of taking a drink, she just cradled the warm cup in her hands. “My best friend is dead”, she said quietly “I’m never going to see her again”. The Doctor took the cup away from her when Alyssa broke down in tears.

“And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”, he said hugging her. If he’d gotten there days earlier, he could’ve figured out what was going on and stopped it before too many people died. Alyssa wouldn’t be going through this right now if he had.

“Why am I so scared of her?” she mumbled.

“Who?” the Doctor asked but he already knew the answer.

“Tanya” Alyssa pulled back and wiped her eyes with her sleeve “she used to have this way about her, it made me feel calm. But now she scares me. In the bathroom mirror… her face…” she broke off and shivered. She didn’t want to think about it anymore.

“What about her face?”

“It changed very briefly. I don’t think she’s even human” Alyssa shook her head “that’s ridiculous. I’m just in shock over Ellie’s death. I’m imagining things”

“You might not be”

“No. I am”, Alyssa insisted despite all her feelings telling her otherwise. They were probably all over the place because of her grief over her friend, one very good reason why she shouldn’t trust them. “I’m sorry John I’ve got to…” she broke off again and stood up “excuse me” she said and quickly left the room. She hurried into the bathroom and shut the door. The Doctor could hear her crying over the running water. He was going to do everything he could to help her but first there was the matter of Tanya Barret. The Doctor had to get her to leave Alyssa alone as she’d been marked as the next victim. There was no way that he was going to lose someone else.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hello Miss Barrett”

“Time Lord”, Tanya said calmly when she saw him standing in her flat.

“I’m giving you one chance to leave. Stop these killings right now”

“I can’t do that. Humans kill animals to survive and I kill them to survive”

“6 people in the space of a month?”

“It takes a lot to look this good. I have been on this earth for millennia and this is the first time that a Time Lord has demanded that I stop and leave this planet. Why… of course. This is about Alyssa isn’t it? You don’t want you to die do you?”

“She doesn’t need to. Alyssa has got her whole life ahead of her”

“Aw boo hoo. All these human have their whole lives ahead of them. Their whole short lives. Why would you care? The Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, burned his own kind. Alyssa is just one little human”, Tanya said walking up to him. The Doctor clenched his fist in anger but didn’t want to let his emotions get the better of him.

“I have a TARDIS. I can take you to a planet of your choice. Just leave Alyssa alone”

"She’s marked and you know it’s only a matter of time. I suggest you go to her and spent as much time as you can because come the morning, Alyssa Palmer will be body number 7. There is nothing you, her mother and those police outside can do about it”


	4. Alyssa's attack

 “Hey John. Did you get your errands done?” Sarah asked when he entered.

“Yes I did. Where’s Ali?”

“She’s upstairs. There’s some left over pizza if you want some”, Sarah said as the Doctor started going upstairs.

“Come in”, he heard Alyssa call after he knocked.

“How are you doing?”

“Coping the best way I can. The worst part is that I know how to attempt to cope because I’ve been here before”, Alyssa replied looking up from her book.

“Who did you lose before?”

“Nanny Elizabeth. Who did you lose?”

“How do you know I lost someone?”

Alyssa set her book down. “My other grandmother was an empath. She could feel people’s emotions. I can too. I felt your sadness when I first met you. You’re grieving for someone you cared about”

“A good friend of mine. Her name was Rose”, the Doctor replied sadly.

“I’m sorry”

“After my gran died I pulled away from everyone. My parents, my friends. Often I would sit by myself in the graveyard and talk to my gran’s gravestone. I did this so many times until one day this guy came up to me and told me something that I won’t forget”

“What did he say?” the Doctor asked sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“The best way to deal with grief is to just keep going. Just keep living for the people we still have in our lives. We need to live for those we have lost too for they’re never truly gone. They still live within our memories and our hearts” Alyssa said “Nanny Elizabeth isn’t gone because she still alive in here” she put a hand over her heart “as is Ellie”.

“That’s nice”, the Doctor commented.

“Yeah it was. Most people would just tell me to take it one day at a time but that guy seemed to know what he was talking about. If I see him again I’ll definitely have to thank him”

The Doctor got up, went to the window and looked out “What are you doing?” Alyssa asked.

“Just checking something. Do you think there is life on other planets?”

“It’s entirely possible. I mean this planet has got a large variety of life on it. Who’s to say that other worlds don’t have lifeforms too?” Alyssa replied getting off the bed and joining him by the window. “Why do you ask?”

“I was curious as to what your view was”

“Careful John. Curiosity killed the cat”

“Good thing I’m not a cat”

Alyssa laughed “yeah good thing”, she said “if you ever need someone to talk to about your friend, I’m here”

“Thank you Ali. The same goes for you”

“I may take you up on that offer”

“There’s something I need to do. Are you going to be ok?”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine”, the red head assured him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa yawned as she finished up her warm milk. She shut off her lamp and fell fast asleep. The Doctor sat in his room with the door partially open so he could listen out. What Miss Barrett had said to him really put him on edge _I’m not losing someone else_ he thought determined. Hours ticked by and nothing happened. The Doctor got up, went to Alyssa’s room and quietly opened the door. From the doorway he could see that she was still asleep, the rise and fall of the covers told him that she was still breathing. The Time Lord scanned the room with his sonic just to make sure that nothing was in the room with her. The results showed that the woman was complelety alone.

The Doctor pulled the door to and went back to his room. Not long after he did, the window of Alyssa’s room was slid upwards. A cold breeze swept across the room making the sleeping girl shiver. She was jerked awake when she felt something sweep across her face. She got up to close the window when she felt that there was something in the room with her. Alyssa turned and screamed when she saw a figure standing there. The Doctor immediately darted out of his room when he heard the scream. He burst into her room and found her on the floor, pinned down by the creature that was killing her. “Get away from her!” he shouted using his sonic to emit a high pitched noise. The creature shrieked in pain before releasing Alyssa and fleeing out the window. The Time Lord rushed over and frantically checked for a pulse. He relaxed but only slightly when he could feel a faint thrum under his fingers as he checked her wrist. “Ali. Alyssa”, the Doctor said gently shaking her shoulders.

“M-mum?” she murmured her eyes slowly opening.

“It’s me, John”

“John? That-that thing. It tried to…try to…” she said panicking.

“I know but its ok now. Its over”, the Doctor said trying to reassure her. She slowly sat up looking at him with wide green eyes. “Alyssa?”

“Mum. Is mum ok? What if that thing attacked her too?”

“I’ll go check on your mum. Stay put”, the Doctor said getting up. He checked on Sarah who was still asleep most likely due to the sleeping pill she’d taken. He then went back to Alyssa’s room. She was still sitting on the floor, back against the bed. The Doctor shut the bedroom window before helping the shocked woman from the floor.

“Is my mum ok?”

“She’s fine”

“Wh-what was that thing? Why did it want to kill me?” Alyssa asked as he sat her on the bed.

“I don’t know but I will figure it out. First you need to try and get some rest”

“I’m not sure if I can…if that thing comes back…”

“I don’t think it’s going to come back. But I will stay with you in case it does”, the Doctor said to her. Alyssa could feel the protectiveness coming off of him. She knew that he wasn’t going to let that thing harm her again that night.

“Thank you”, Alyssa said getting into bed. “John?” she said not long after he’d turned off the light.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for saving my life”

The Doctor sat by her bed soothing the girl whenever she woke up during the night. It was pretty easy to calm her down as it only took his touch to relax her.


	5. Confronting Tanya

When Alyssa woke the next morning she was alone in her room. She got up and quickly went downstairs. The young woman found their lodger in the kitchen at the hob. “Ali are you ok?” Sarah asked seeing her expression.

“Yeah I-I’m fine”, she replied sitting down at the counter. “Mum did you hear anything last night? Noises maybe?” she asked as they started to eat the food John prepared.

“No. I took a sleeping pill last night. Why do you ask?”

“Oh it’s um uh…”

“Ali was having nightmares last night”

“I’m sorry I took the pill. Wish I hadn’t”

“That’s ok mum. John stayed with me most of the night”

“Really? That was very kind of you John. Thank you”

“It’s the least I could do Mrs Palmer”

“I told you when you moved in that you can call me Sarah”

“Sorry force of habit”

“That’s alright. So what will you be doing today Ali?”

“I’m staying at home. Not really up to going into work”

“Complelety understandable. John do you mind staying with Alyssa today? I know there is a police detail outside but I’d feel better knowing she was with someone in the house”

“Of course Sarah”

“Thank you. I’ll be back later. The therapist’s number is on the fridge if you want to call them”, Sarah said.

“Yeah I might do that. Have a good day at work”

“I’ll try. If you need anything just call”

“Will do mum”, Alyssa said kissing her mother’s cheek. “Ok what the hell was that thing that tried to kill me last night?” she demanded as soon her mother had left.

“That was an industria lamia. In english it means energy vampire”

“An energy vampire? You’re joking right?” Alyssa said before laughing. She stopped when she could sense that he wasn’t lying. “You’re not joking are you?” she asked wanting verbal confirmation of what she could sense.

“I’m afraid I’m not” 

“Why would it come after me?”

“Because it knew that you had figured out the connection between the victims”

“Figured out the…wait are you saying that this ‘vampire’ is the killer of those 5 people and Ellie? That’s why Ellie was killed?”

“Yes”

“Can they disguise themselves as people?” Alyssa asked wondering if that thing that had attacked her was Tanya.

“Yes they can. In this case it was disguised as…”

“Tanya Barrett”, Alyssa finished. The Doctor nodded. “Oh god”, she groaned putting her hands in her head.

“Ali I know this is sounding pretty crazy…”

“No actually it’s not” Alyssa raised her head “I just can’t believe that someone I’d probably consider as a friend is actually a monster. I didn’t even sense anything that suggested she was different except…” Alyssa shook her head. This was all a bit much for her. It wasn’t like she didn’t know about aliens, she was all too aware of them. The ‘ghosts’ turned metal men; those metal salt shakers with guns; the giant spaceship over London last Christmas. However, the fact that one of the regulars was an alien was a little hard to grasp.

 “Ali you’re still in danger. Tanya failed to kill you so she will try again”

“I know you were being serious before about the thing that was trying to kill me last night but it’s still a little hard for me to get my head around that Tanya is that thing. Despite what my feelings are telling me”

“I can prove it Ali”

“Really?”

“Yes”

 “Ok. Let me get changed first”, she said before going upstairs. The young woman swapped her pyjamas for a shirt, jeans and boots. Alyssa followed him out to the garden shed. “The garden shed?” the woman asked when the stopped outside of the building. The Doctor looked at her before opening the door. Alyssa gaped at the wooden blue box that had been stashed inside. When she went in the police box her mouth dropped open at the sheer size of the room inside. “What?!” she exclaimed before rushing outside. Alyssa went around the blue box “This is impossible”, she said circling it again. The Doctor leant against the console waiting for her to come back in, most likely say what everyone always says. The red head entered the TARIDS still looking rather amazed.

“Anything to say? About the size maybe?”

“It’s…it’s bigger on the inside!”

The Doctor grinned at her. He loved hearing people say that. “You loved hearing me say that right?” Alyssa asked sensing a change in the man after she said it.

“Psychic?”

“Yep”, she replied popping the p. “you don’t think that’s weird do you?”

“No. not at all”

“You’d be the second person who didn’t think it was weird. My dad thought it was weird, he left because of me”

The Doctor frowned “he left you because you were different?”

Alyssa nodded “he couldn’t be around me. It’s pretty hypocritical as his own mother, the other grandmother I mentioned yesterday, was a physic too” the Doctor couldn’t believe that Alyssa’s own father didn’t want anything to do with her because she had abilities passed on by his own genes. “John you don’t have to be so upset. My dad left when I was four and my mum has managed to raise me on her own”

“And I’d say she’s done a good job”

Alyssa smiled “thanks John. Anyway I think we’re getting a little off track. You were going to prove it to me that Tanya is this ‘energy vampire’”

“Right. I need your hand”, the Doctor said. Alyssa held out her hand to him and he scanned it with his sonic.

“Whats that you’re using?” she asked when he finished

“Sonic screwdriver”, the Doctor replied programming something into the console.

“If you’re not going to give a sensible answer”

“No really. It’s a sonic screwdriver”, the Doctor insisted looking at her.

“If you say so. You don’t happen to have a laser spanner do you?”

“I used to but it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst”

“Now you’re being ridiculous”, Alyssa said rubbing her hand. She glanced down at it and was shocked to see a very faint mark on it. “John what is this?”

“Energy vampires put that on their victims to mark them. They don’t normally show up until the person was dead. Yours is faint because…”

“The vampire attempted to kill me”

“If she held on any longer she would have”

“That’s a comforting thought”

The console made a noise. “It’s done. Turn around”, the Doctor said. Alyssa did so and was shocked to see Tanya standing there. “It’s ok. She’s just a hologram. I scanned the residue left on your hand from when she marked you”

“And created a hologram?”

“Just watch”

Alyssa stumbled back when the Tanya hologram slowly morphed into the creature that attacked her the night before. “It’s alright she can’t hurt you”, the Doctor assured her.

“Tanya really is that thing”

“Yes”

“Alright how do we stop her?”

“We?” the Doctor asked surprised. After the close call last night he figured she wouldn’t want to help, she’d be too scared to.

“Yes us. I’m the one she’s coming after so I will help you stop her. So how do we do it?” Alyssa asked. The Doctor pointed his sonic at the hologram and pressed the button. A high pitched noise emanated from it which caused Alyssa to clap her hands over her ears and the hologram to shriek in pain.

The woman removed her hands from her hears when the noise stopped. “High pitched noise hurts them”

“Exactly. Now we need to figure out where to lure Tanya”

“You need somewhere that you can generate a loud enough noise of that frequency. I think I know just the place”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~empty club~

“Hello Tanya”, Alyssa said seeing her enter.

“Alyssa why did you ask me to come here?”

“I wanted somewhere private to talk. I know what you are”

“Excuse me?”

Alyssa pulled out her hand from her pocket to show her the faint mark. “I know you killed those people and Ellie. I know that I’ve been marked by you and you won’t stop until you’ve killed me”

“So you’re just giving yourself to me?”

“Why not. It’s not like I have a choice”

“That’s very true but I highly doubt you came alone. Where’s the Doctor?”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about”

“Oh come on Ali he must be around here somewhere. He cares for you, you know because he didn’t confront me for any of the others killings only after I marked you”

“I still don’t know who you’re talking about but as you can see we’re completely alone. So get on with it Tanya”

“I’ll tell your mother that you loved her very much and don’t worry I’ll phone in an anonymous tip to the police on where to find your body”

Alyssa braced herself as Tanya transformed into the monster. The reporter grabbed her by the shoulders and began draining the life from her. _This plan better work_ Alyssa thought as her knees weakened. The last thing she heard was a high pitched noise before passing out.


	6. The morning after

When Alyssa came back around, she discovered that she was back in her room. “Oh good you’re awake”, the Doctor said coming in carrying a tray.

“Breakfast in bed. Very nice”, Alyssa commented sitting up. “What happened after I passed out? Did you get her?” she asked before digging in to the food he made.

“I did”, the Time Lord said sadly sitting down on the desk chair.

“You stopped her so why are you so sad?” Alyssa asked sensing that he was less than pleased about what he’d done.

“I didn’t want to kill her but she wouldn’t let you go. I had no choice”

“Doctor it’s not your fault. If she didn’t want to let me go, then she brought it onto herself”, Alyssa said “Tanya mentioned that name last night. The Doctor. Compared to John, I’m guessing that the Doctor is your real name”.

“It’s the name I go by”

“What are you? I mean you have a blue box that is bigger on the inside and you seemed very comfortable talking about energy vampires”

“I’m a Time Lord. My blue box as you call it is called a TARDIS”

“TARDIS?”

“Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. It’s a ship that can travel through time and space”

“That’s cool. How do you differ from a human? I mean you look just like us”

“Actually you look Time Lord. We came first”

“Right”

The Doctor then briefly explained about Time Lords from two hearts to regeneration. “You don’t seem to be shocked about any of this”, he said.

“Why would I? I’ve recently found out that one of the Coffeehouse’s customers was a killer alien responsible for the death of my best friend and who also tried to kill me twice. Speaking of, thank you for saving me again”

“It was all part of the plan you came up with”

“Which escalated further so that’s why I thank you. Now that you’ve solved this case and stopped the bad alien, are you going to leave?”

“I was in a few days. I didn’t think it’d be right to leave so soon after what happened. Unless you want me to leave?”

“No! Of course I don’t want you to go yet but I understand if you decide to. There must be better things for you to do with your time than keeping me company”

“At the moment there isn’t”

They chatted a little while longer until the doorbell rang. The Doctor got up and went downstairs to answer the door. Alyssa set the tray aside and headed downstairs. She went into the living room where she heard the Doctor and someone else talking. “Steve?” she said seeing her friend and Co-worker standing there.

“Ali. I just came to see how you were doing with everything”

“As well as can be I guess. How about you?”

“Same”

“Has Ben come to see you yet?” Steve asked as they sat back in the living room.

“No. but he’s probably busy”

“Ali, you shouldn’t keep making excuses for him. He is capable of taking a day off to come see you, his own girlfriend”

Alyssa shrugged. She wasn’t going to get into an argument about how unreliable Ben has been of late. “You know, it’s a good thing you’re here. I was thinking we could do a little memorial for Ellie at the Coffeehouse. Set up a table in the Coffeehouse with her picture where people could leave messages for her and maybe play some of her favourite tunes”, she said quickly changing the subject.

“That sounds like a good idea. When do you want to do this?”

“I was thinking maybe tomorrow? I know I’m not working but then but I haven’t been in work yesterday and obviously I’m not in today either”, Alyssa replied.

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll put something on her page so people know about it”

“Thanks Steve”

“You’re welcome Ali. Don’t worry about anything, I’ll take care of it all”, Steve said standing up.

“You don’t have to do that Steve. I am capable of helping”

“I know you are but I’m telling you that you don’t have to”

Alyssa got up and hugged the man. “What would I do without you?”

“There’s probably a lot you can do without me but why would you? I mean I am pretty awesome”

Alyssa looked up at him and smiled “I’d agree with you but you’re ego doesn’t need a boost”, she said moving back. Steve put his hand over his heart rather dramatically

“Are you saying that I have a big ego? I’m wounded Ali”

Alyssa laughed “oh Steve you really are an idiot”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way would you?”

“No I wouldn’t”, Alyssa agreed. “Thank you for stopping by Steve”, she said walking her friend to the door.

“You’re very welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow”

“Yeah see you”. Alyssa smiled as she shut the door and leant against it.

“He seems like a nice guy”, the Doctor commented.

“He is”, Alyssa agreed pushing off from the front door and going back into the living room to gather up the cups. “I’m going to take some flowers over to Ellie’s mother to give her my condolences. Do you want to come?”

“If you want me to”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to you”, Alyssa countered.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Miss Palmer may I ask where you’re going?” one of the officers that had been placed outside her home asked.

“A friend’s house. You don’t need to be outside my house anymore”

“No offense miss but we will only leave when we get permission from our superiors”

“Here’s your permission chaps”, the Doctor said pulling out his psychic paper and showing it to the officers.

“This seems like everything is in order here. Have a good day miss”

“I will and thank you for all you’ve done the past few days”

When the police car drove away, Alyssa and the Doctor went to her car. “What was that you used on those officers?”

“Psychic paper”, the Doctor replied showing it to her.

“It’s blank”

The Doctor smiled “looks like you’re too smart for it”

“Really?”

“Yep. Only a handful of people can see it as blank”

“And I’m one of members of that exclusive club. Cool. How is the psychic paper supposed to work?” Alyssa asked curious.

“I shows people what I want them to see. In the case of the police, it was permission for them to leave”

“And in my case it was blank”

“Exactamundo”

Alyssa looked at him strangely “I don’t think you should say that again”

“Yeah”, the Doctor agreed. 

“Does it work on you?”

“Sometimes”

“I can try?”

“Sure”, the Doctor replied handing it to her. Alyssa thought for a moment before showing it to him

“Anything?” she asked.

“Nope sorry”

“Oh well, worth a try”, Alyssa said handing it back.


	7. Condolence calls

“Hi Katherine”, Alyssa said when the woman opened the door.

“Hello Alyssa. Please come in”, Katherine said stepping aside to let them in “

“I’m sorry for not coming over sooner but with everything that has happened…” Alyssa said handing the flowers over. The woman’s feeling’s her hit like a brick wall the second she opened the door. If Alyssa didn’t have practice with her abilities, Katherine’s emotions would’ve overwhelmed her.

“It’s quite alright Ali. You’ve been through a lot yourself”

“Oh Katherine this is my friend John”, Alyssa said introducing the Doctor to her “John this is Ellie’s mother, Katherine Johnson”

“My condolences on your loss”, the Doctor said.

“Thank you. Would you two like some tea?”

“Yes please”, Alyssa replied and the Doctor agreed.

“Make yourselves at home and I’ll get the tea”, Katherine said before going into the kitchen. Alyssa led the way to living room where she and the Doctor sat down on the sofa. While they were waiting, Alyssa’s eyes were drawn to a photograph on the mantle. She got up and went over it. She smiled at the photo as it was one of her and Ellie at the counter of the Coffeehouse.

“I can’t believe she framed this”, Alyssa said picking it up.

“You two look happy”, the Doctor commented when she showed him.

“We were. It was our first day at the Coffeehouse. We had got a job there during the summer after we graduated from university last year. We loved it so much that we decided to stay on”, Alyssa explained. “In a couple of months we were going to leave the Coffeehouse to start work at a museum on a few restoration projects they had. Ellie was so excited about it as we spent 3 years at university studying for it. I don’t even know if I want to do the projects without her…”

“You should”, Katherine said coming in carrying a tray “It was something both you and Ellie wanted to do”. The woman handed the both a cup of tea. “Ellie would want you to do this Ali”, she added.

“I’ll think about it Katherine”, Alyssa said taking a sip of tea. “Steve and I had an idea to have a mini memorial for Ellie at the Coffeehouse tomorrow if you’d like to come along. I don’t think we can shut the place but Steve is putting up something on Ellie’s Facebook page to advertise it”, she said after a moment.

“I think I will come along. Thank you Alyssa”

“You’re welcome Mrs Johnson”

“Speaking of memorials, Ellie’s funeral is this Sunday. I know there is no easy way to ask this but…”

“I’ll be there Mrs Johnson”

“Thank you”, Mrs Johnson said grateful that Alyssa agreed to go. They spoke for a little while longer before Alyssa and the Doctor left. “Thank you for coming Alyssa”, Mrs Johnson said walking them to the door.

“Your welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes I’ll swing by the Coffeehouse at some point tomorrow. It was nice to meet you John. I wish it was under better circumstances”

“Likewise. Again I’m sorry for your loss”, the Doctor said to the woman. “So what do want to do now?” he asked Alyssa as they walked to the car.

“Honestly I don’t know. Not really sure what to do with myself”, Alyssa admitted getting into the car and starting it up.

“Well I’ve got a TARDIS. We could go on a short trip?” the Doctor offered.

“You’re offering me a ride in your ship?”

“That is what I’m saying”

“You’re offering my a ride in your ship that can travel through time and space”

“Yep”

Alyssa glanced at him and smiled “I’d love to”, she said sensing his sincerity in his offer. She could tell that he wanted to help her with the loss of her friend.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Right all of time and space. Where would you like to go Ali?” the Doctor asked entering the TARDIS.

“All of time and space”, Alyssa said wandering around the console still trying to get used to the whole bigger on the inside thing.

“Yep”

“Well there is thing I’ve always wanted to see”, Alyssa said and she told him.

“I can do that. Hold on”, the Doctor said before pulling a lever. Alyssa stumbled back as the TARDIS started to jerk and shake. She grabbed the console and clung on tightly. “We’re here”, the Time Lord said as the TARDIS stopped.

“Seriously?”

“Take a look”

Alyssa went over to the door and pulled it open. She stared at the winter wonderland that was stretched out before her. The woman stepped out of the TARDIS and smiled at the crunch of the snow under her boots. “This is amazing”, she said scooping up the snow and throwing it into the air.

The Doctor watched from the TARDIS doorway with a smile on his face. It was nice to see her happy after everything that had happened.

“Where exactly are we?” she asked turning to him.

“Iceland, just outside of Reykjavik”, the Doctor replied.

“It’s incredible. One minute we’re in England, the next we’re in Iceland. You do this all the time?”

“Pretty much. Occasionally going to other planets”

Alyssa just looked around in amazement at her surroundings. Then she shivered as her jacket wasn’t really right for the current weather. “You don’t happen to have thicker coat do you? She asked rubbing her arms.

“There’s one in the wardrobe”, the Doctor replied before giving her a long and complicated list of directions.

“Right. I think got that”, Alyssa said although he lost her after the first few lefts and rights. She went into the TARDIS. “Was it left or right at the end of the second corridor?” she asked aloud looking both directions.

 _Left_ a voice said 

“Who said that?” 

_A friend. Just trust me Alyssa_

“Well I don’t want to keep the Doctor waiting. Lead the way”

Alyssa followed the directions that the voice gave her and was grateful to find herself in a huge wardrobe. It didn’t take long to pick out a winter coat from the numerous racks. The voice led her safely back to the console room. “Warm now?”

“Yep”, Alyssa replied.

“Good. Now we best get going if we want to get a good view to see the show before it gets dark”

“Doctor can I ask you something?” Alyssa asked as they walked.

“You just did”

Alyssa rolled her eyes at his answer “why do you have so many women’s clothes in the wardrobe? I know you had your friend travelling with you but that doesn’t explain why you have so many”, she said. “Come on you can tell me. Do you enjoy dressing up as a woman?” she teased.

“No I do not dress up as a woman”

“I won’t tell anyone Doctor if you do” Alyssa could tell that he was getting slightly annoyed with her so she continued with her teasing.

“I don’t”

“It’s ok honestly. I’ve got nothing against it”

“Alyssa if you’re going to keep on about it I’ll leave you here”, the Doctor warned although he didn’t mean it. He knew she was just messing with him.

“You wouldn’t do that”

“Watch me”, the Doctor said before he turned around and started walking away.

“Aw come on Doctor! I was just teasing!” she called after him. The Doctor stopped walked but stayed facing away from her trying to keep himself from smiling or laughing. He heard crunch of her footsteps in the snow as she came up to him. “Doctor I’m sorry ok. I was just messing around with you”, Alyssa said apologising. The Doctor couldn’t help but crack a small smile at her. “You were just pretending to be mad at me?” she said.

“And you fell for it”, the Doctor said starting to laugh. “You didn’t see that coming did you?” he joked. Alyssa rolled her eyes and smacked him on the chest in annoyance. She shook head but she was smiling. Alyssa wasn’t really mad at him as she had started it in the first place. She was also surprised that she didn’t sense he was joking when he warned her. “Well I think we should get going if we want to get a good spot”

“Yeah ok”

The pair continued on walking through the snow. Alyssa got an idea hung back, kneeling down to scoop up some snow. “Hey Doctor!” she called.

He turned to answer her and was met with a face full of snow. The Time Lord wiped it away and saw Alyssa grinning. She took off when the Doctor got a handful of snow. It hit her in the back and soon they were having a snow ball war. Alyssa shrieked when some snow got under her clothes. “That’s damn cold!” she exclaimed trying to get the snow out of her clothes. “Oh did not just laugh at me”, she said stopping trying to get the snow out and glared at the Doctor. “That’s it!” the woman said running at him. The Time Lord started running as fast as he could through the snow with an angry red head chasing after him.

Somehow she managed to catch up to him and tackled him to the ground. “Gonna stop laughing at me?” Alyssa asked standing up brushing some snow off her jeans.

“Yes. I promise. Want to help me up?”

“No”, Alyssa said walking away.

“Please”

Alyssa sighed and went back to where he was laying in the snow. “Fine”, she said holding out her hands. The Doctor reached up and grabbed them and Alyssa hauled him to his feet.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Can I open my eyes now?” Alyssa asked.

“Nope not yet”

“Just a little longer. Have a little patience Ali”

“I don’t have patients. I’m not a doctor, Doctor”

The Time Lord chuckled at her joke. “Ok, now you can open your eyes”, the Doctor said as he saw the first wisps of the northern lights appear in the night sky. Alyssa opened her eyes and gasped when she saw green and pink ribbons of the Aurora dance across the sky.

“It’s beautiful. All those colours”, she said staring up at it.

“I could tell you how it’s made”

“Don’t. That will spoil the magic”, Alyssa said not wanting a scientific explanation to ruin the experience.


	8. Funeral

Working on the Saturday was one of the hardest things Alyssa had to do. She had to keep it together so that she wasn’t crying over the drinks. To be honest she would’ve rather had been back in Iceland looking at the Northern Lights with the Doctor. When she got back she spent the rest of the day in her room.

~Sunday~

Alyssa fiddled with the rose in her hand as she stood with Ben listening to the priest talk about Ellie. _I’m really going to miss you Ellie_ she thought fighting back her tears. The two of them had been best friends since high school.

~ _flashback~_

_A nervous 11 Alyssa sat down at a desk in the English class room. It was her first day at secondary school. A blonde haired girl sat down in the seat next to hers. “Hi”, she said._

_“Hey”_

_“I’m Ellie Johnson”_

_“Alyssa Palmer”_

_“Do you want to be friends Ali?” Ellie asked._

_“Sure”, Alyssa replied._

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_“You look so pretty Ellie”, Alyssa commented watching her get ready for the prom._

_“So do you”_

_“Thanks. Hey I got you something for tonight”_

_“It’s not a corsage is it?” Ellie asked_

_“No I’m leaving that to Casey. No it’s just a little something for the occasion”, Alyssa replied producing a small box. Ellie opened the box and saw a little glass slipper charm._

_“I love it Ali. Thank you”_

_“You’re welcome Ellie”_

_“I’ve got something for you too”, Ellie said before handing Alyssa a box. The red head opened it and smiled when she saw a shoe charm similar to the one she gave Ellie._

_“Guess great minds think alike”, Alyssa said attaching the charm to her bracelet._

_“I suppose they do although are you sure it’s not best friend’s minds think alike?”_

_Alyssa thought about it for a second “you know I prefer your version”_

_“Me too”_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_“Aren’t you a little too old for jumping on the bed?” 18 year old Ellie asked her friend._

_“Nope”, Alyssa said. “Come on Ellie. Join me!” she said stopping._

_“Ali…”_

_“Please”, Alyssa said pouting._

_“You’re such as child”, Ellie commented._

_“But you love me right?”_

_“You know I do”_

_“Prove it. Join me in jumping”_

_“Ok”, Ellie agreed. She joined Alyssa on the bed where they jumped up and down to their hearts content._

_“Ellie we’re always going to be friends right?” Alyssa asked when they stopped._

_“Always. Remember our promise?”_

_“No matter where this world takes us, we’ll always stay best friends”, Ali replied._

~end~

“Does anyone have anything they’d like to say?” the priest asked.

“I do”, Alyssa spoke up. She stepped up to the coffin and laid the rose down on it. Keeping her gaze fixed on it, she began to speak. “We had a promise. No matter where this world takes us, we’ll always stay best friends. Ellie you’ll always be my best friend. I’m going to take that job we’ve been offered and I’m going to make sure I do you proud. I love you and I’m going to miss you”

After her short speech, Alyssa took her place next to Ben. He took her hand as silent tears rolled down Alyssa’s cheeks.

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

During the wake Alyssa had to leave the house to get some air. It was difficult for her to be around Ellie’s family because she couldn’t tell them what really happened which was hurting her inside. Also she felt like she was being bombarded with feelings and emotions from all sides. The downside to being an empath is that she could feel everything. Most of the time she could block it out but the Wake was just too much. Being outside helped, it allowed her to pull herself together. She looked up from where she sat when she heard someone say her name. “Doctor? I thought you’d gone”, Alyssa said seeing the Time Lord.

“I was going to but I decided to stay”, he said sitting down on the steps.

“You know what the hardest part about being a psychic? I can feel everything. All that pain, grief and sorrow. It makes me feel worse because I can’t tell Katherine what really happened to her daughter. I can’t tell her that the monster who took Ellie’s life is dead too. The only person who I could’ve possibly shared this whole alien thing is not even here”, Alyssa said breaking down again. The Doctor put his arm around the sobbing woman.

“I’m so sorry Ali”

“It’s not your fault Doctor”, Alyssa said “I’ve just got to somehow move forward”.

“And I’ll help you if you want”

Alyssa looked at him “thank you Doctor. Despite everything I’m glad I met you”, she said leaning against him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Come on board the TARDIS. Visit new planets. Have a few laughs”, Alyssa grumbled as she tried to get comfortable for the 10th time. Not easy when one wrist is chained to a wall in a cell of a pirate ship. She was really regretting having a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon the other day. _Why of all the bright ideas did I suggest to visit the real Port Royal?_ Alyssa thought. She was glad that she’d remembered to lyrics to Jolly Sailor Bold because after singing that to the captain and his crew, they’d just agreed to put her in the hold as their prisoner instead of killing her there and then or worse. Alyssa closed her eyes and decided to think about the past few days to try and get her mind off of her current situation.

_~flashback~_

_Two days ago…_

_Alyssa and the Doctor sat on the step of the TARDIS looking out into space. The Time Lord had decided to show her a star going supernova, from a safe distance of course. He watched the young woman’s green eyes widen at the point when the star exploded. “Whoa”, she breathed taking it all in “That was amazing!” she exclaimed._

_“Want to see the entire milky way?” he asked._

_“Yeah!” Alyssa replied enthusiastically jumping up. The Time Lord’s enthusiasm was definitely infectious. She was sure that if she’d been a normal human, his enthusiasm would still have had an effect on her._

_The Doctor also got up, closed the TARDIS doors before bounding over to the console. After a moment of the TARDIS jerking, the Doctor opened the doors to show the entire Milky Way in all its glory. Alyssa stood in the doorway gazing upon her home galaxy with a smile on her face. She glanced at the Doctor wanting to ask something but decided against it._

_“What?”_

_“Nothing”_

_“You wanted to say something”_

_Alyssa looked at him “I did but decided not to. It was ridiculous”, she said._

_“Now I want to know”_

_“Promise you won’t laugh?” she asked._

_“Cross my hearts” the Doctor replied. Alyssa swallowed before speaking_

_“I wanted to float in space. Just for a little while. I was curious to know what it would be like”, she said. She ducked her head slightly embarrassed by what she’d just admitted. Alyssa waited for him to laugh at her. “You’re not laughing”, Alyssa said slowly looking up at him._

_“I promised I wouldn’t. So you want to know what it’s like to float in space”_

_“Yeah”, Alyssa said her cheeks still pink._

_“Alright then”, the Doctor said before giving her a little push._

_“Whoa!” Alyssa exclaimed as she started to float just outside the blue box. She looked down when she felt a hand clamp around her left ankle. The woman smiled as the Doctor grinned up at her, holding tightly onto her ankle. She stared around with a big smile on her face, her hair floating lazily above her just like it would in water. All too soon the Doctor had pulled her inside. When her feet touched the TARDIS floor, Alyssa put her arms around his neck. “Thank you”, she said kissing his cheek._

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Yesterday…_

_“Are you sure they can’t get in?” Alyssa asked the Doctor listening to the thumps at the TARDIS door._

_“The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn’t get through there. Believe me, they’ve tried. So you don’t have to worry about your husband-to-be’s men from getting in”, the Doctor said bouncing around the console pulling levers and pressing buttons. Alyssa groaned_

_“For the billionth time I didn’t know I was agreeing to marry him. I just said yes to shut him up”, she said leaning against the console._

_“Well hopefully this’ll teach you to pay more attention to what people are saying”_

_“Right because you always pay attention to what people are saying”_

_“That’s different”_

_“How is that different?” she asked_

_“Because…because”_

_“Yes?”_

_“Because I’m the pilot. Besides that’s why I have you, so you’d listen so I don’t have to”_

_“That’s the only reason you invited me along? Oh thanks”_

_“It’s not the only reason”_

_“Enlighten me then. Whats the other reason?” Alyssa asked “what?” she asked when he just looked at her._

_“Nothing. It’s just that the dress really suits you”_

_Alyssa blushed and pushed a piece of stray hair behind her ear “thanks”, she said. “You know it was almost romantic the way you stormed into that church stating that you objected before practically sweeping me off my feet. Topping it off with that daring escape on horseback like you were my own personal knight in a blue suit and converse”_

_“Well I am brilliant”_

_Alyssa rolled her eyes “you hear that? That is the sound of your ego getting bigger”, she said pushing away from the console. “Right as much as this dress is super comfy I think I’m going to put on some pj’s and then watch Pirates. Don’t know why but I’m suddenly in the mood for some Captain Jack”, Alyssa said. She then kissed the Doctor’s cheek taking him by surprise “A token of my appreciation”, she said with a small smile on her face before walking away._

~end flashback~

“I hope the Doctor can find me soon”, Alyssa said quietly.

Meanwhile in the TARDIS the Doctor was frantically working at the console trying to find his missing companion. Alyssa’s frightened face and yells for help stuck in his mind. _Hold on Ali. I’m going to find you_ he thought frantically scanning the area. His face broke out in a grin when finally located her.

“Gotcha. Hang on Ali I’m on my way”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa was rudely woken by someone shaking her. “Time to going girl”, the pirate said yanking her to her feet. She was led to the top deck where nearly the entire crew had gathered.

“You’ve got to be kidding me”, she said as she was brought to a stop right in front of the step that led to the plank “you’re going to have to physically carry me up there and toss me off because I am not moving another step”, she said to the captain who happened to be the notorious Blackbeard. _Why couldn’t I have been kidnapped by Jack Sparrow instead?_

“That can be arranged but I would rather you go on your own”, he said unsheathing his cutlass and pointing it at her.

“Right walking the plank”, Alyssa said. Before she stepped up onto the plank, her hands were tightly bound. “How am I supposed to swim with my hands bound?” she asked. Blackbeard didn’t say anything but stepped forward, his cutlass perilously close to her neck. He forced her up on the plank and made her walk all the while keeping his blade inches from her back. As she got closer to the end of the plank, she heard a noise which made her look up. A Smile broke out of her face when she saw it was the TARDIS flying overhead. Her expression changed to that of terror as she was pushed off the plank. Alyssa screamed as she plummeted into the water. She sank quickly due to the period style dress she was wearing. With her hands tied it wasn’t going to be easy to swim to the surface but she sure as hell wasn’t going to let herself drown. That coupled with seeing the TARDIS gave her enough determination. Alyssa kicked as hard as she could with her legs hoping that she could hold her breath long enough to reach the surface. Her progress was slow, too slow. Alyssa’s legs were killing her and her lungs felt like they were about to explode.

Darkness started to appear around the edges of her vision as she began to lose consciousness. _Doctor I’m sorry_ she thought as her eyes closed.


	9. Dressing up

“Come on Ali. Don’t do this to me”, the now soaking wet Doctor said as he started CPR on the woman. He’d landed the TARDIS on a nearby island and was just in time to see her be pushed into the water. The Time Lord wasted no time entering the water desperate to get to her before she drowned. He was relieved when Alyssa opened her eyes. She sat up partially and coughed up sea water onto the sand next to her. The Doctor pulled her into an embrace. Alyssa could feel the relief coming from him as he hugged her.

“I bloody hate pirates”, she mumbled into his chest.

“Well you don’t have to worry about them now. You’re safe”, the Doctor assured her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “You don’t need to keep scanning me. I’m fine”, Alyssa said pushing his sonic away. After the little mishap with the pirates the Doctor had decided to put adventuring on the backburner until he was sure that Alyssa was fine.

“Ali you nearly drowned two days ago. I’m just making sure that you’re not going to come down with an illness from being in the water”

“If I was I think I would’ve had some symptoms yesterday. Why can’t we do something fun? I wanna get my mind off of that little incident and other things”, Alyssa said. As they had stayed in the TARDIS the past couple of days, the woman had been prone to thinking about the energy vampire nightmare and the loss of her best friend.

“Well we’re not leaving the TARDIS”, the Doctor said making Alyssa groan.

“Fine I’m sure I can find something to do”, the red head said getting up from the chair in the console room and wandered off. She didn’t really have a destination in mind so she was surprised when she ended up in the large wardrobe. Alyssa walked around running her hand along the clothes. She smiled when she saw a suit similar to the Doctor’s but for a woman. Alyssa picked it up and tried it on, incidentally it fit her pretty well. She looked at herself in the mirror and her hands in her pockets. “Hello I’m the Doctor. I am a Time Lord and I have a blue box that’s bigger on the inside. How you say? Well I could explain it to you but it would be too complicated for your human brain”, she said mimicking the way the Doctor talked. Alyssa smiled _this is fun_ she thought and continued “I like running. Running is fun. I also saying Allonsy! I tend to ramble quite a bit, pretty sure Alyssa gets fed up with it but she never tells me to shut up mostly because I’m brilliant”

While she was pretending to be the Doctor, she had no idea that the real Time Lord was watching her mess around with a smile on his face. Alyssa jumped when she noticed him standing behind her. “Oh Doctor I was um messing around. J-just a bit of fun”, she stammered looking a little embarrassed. She’d been too caught up in having fun that she didn’t sense he was there.

“That’s ok you make a pretty good me”

“Really?”

“Yep. Though you should’ve seen what I wore in previous regenerations. Actually…” the Doctor said before picking her up.

“Doctor what are you doing?” Alyssa asked as he deposited her on a chair.

“Wait right there. Don’t move”, he said as he walked off. The woman leant to the side in her chair trying to see what he was up to. She looked at him confused when he came back around wearing a leather jacket and black trousers.

“Going for a biker look?”

“No. This is what I wore last regeneration. Should’ve seen my ears, they were enormous. Like Dumbo”, the Doctor said and Alyssa laughed.

“Seriously?”

“Oh yeah. What was it Mickey called me? That’s right Big Ears”

“Well at least the clothing isn’t too weird. I kind of like it though I prefer the suit”, Alyssa said.

“You want weird? Wait just a minute”

The Doctor had Alyssa giggling again when he came back in his fourth Doctor’s gear. “You wore that? Blimey how many times have you tripped over that scarf?”

“Never”

“I find that hard to believe”, Alyssa said although she could tell he was telling the truth.

“It’s true”

“So which regeneration is this?”

“Fourth. For some reason I had an obsession with Jelly Babies”

“Really? Those are disgusting”, Alyssa said wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Now banana’s I do like”, she said recalling the Doctor’s fondness of bananas.

“Me too. Speaking of food you’ll get a kick out of this one”, the Doctor said before darting back around the corner. Alyssa waited a minute or so until he came back in another outfit. “Regeneration number 5”, he said.

“Is that…is that a celery?” Alyssa asked staring at the vegetable on his jacket.

“Yep”

“You wore a vegetable?” Alyssa said starting to laugh.

“Unfortunately I did. Don’t recall having any obsession to a particular food in that regeneration”, the Doctor said to a now giggling woman. 

“You wore a vegetable!” she said between giggles. She laughed even harder when she accidently slid off the chair. The Doctor shook his head at her and helped her up. “Thanks”, she said taking breaths to calm down. However, she ended up cracking up when she looked at the celery on his jacket.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pair spent the next few hours dressing up. Trying the most strangest of combinations of clothing, both laughing and enjoying themselves. At one point Alyssa put on a tweed jacket, bow tie and fez. “Oh I’m liking this”, she said looking at herself in the mirror.

“Whats up with the fez?” the Doctor asked.

“What’s wrong with wearing a fez?” Alyssa asked turning to him. “Fezzes are cool. I think I might start wearing one more often”, she said inspecting her image in the mirror. “Oi!” she exclaimed when the Doctor snatched the fez off her head.

“Now you can’t wear it”, he said tossing it away making her pout.

“Aw I liked that Fez”, she mumbled.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa wandered around the wardrobe a little more trying to find another outfit to try on. _Try this one_ a voice inside her mind said when her hand ran over one particular garment.

“You said that you were a friend before. But who exactly are you?” Alyssa said quietly.

 _You know who I am_ the voice replied. The woman heard the grinding of the TARDIS in her mind.

“You’re the TARDIS?”

_Correct_

“How am I hearing you in my head?”

_I cannot explain right now._

“Oh? How come?”

_Spoilers_

“Whats that supposed to even mean?” Alyssa asked confused.

_It means that it’ll be explained in due time._

“Great”, Alyssa grumbled. She didn’t like the fact that she wasn’t getting any straight answers but at least she now knew that the voice came from the TARDIS. Her mood improved slightly when she pulled out the garment the ship had suggested she try. It was an ocean blue knee length dress with silver embroidery around the hem and neck line. It was coupled with matching flats. Alyssa put it on and decided to show the Doctor who was still in the wardrobe. “What do you think?” she asked giving a little twirl.

The Doctor took in her appearance. She’d looked nice in the green medieval gown she wore days ago but now she looked stunning. Alyssa laughed at his expression. “Nice impression of a goldfish”, she said with a smile. The Doctor swallowed before speaking

“You look…you look lovely”

“Thanks”, she said blushing and fiddling with a strand of red hair.

“As you’ve dressed up nice I have the perfect place we can go”, the Doctor said offering his arm to her. Alyssa slipped her hand through his arm and they walked arm in arm back down to the console room. The pair stopped when they saw a woman in a wedding dress standing there.

“What?” the Doctor said confused.

“Who are you two?” she demanded when she turned around and saw them. 

“How…” Alyssa said confused just as confused as to how she got in there in the first place.

“Where am I?” the bride asked before either the Doctor or Alyssa could reply she asked another question. “What the hell is this place?” the bride demanded. The Doctor and Alyssa glanced at each other not knowing quite what to say.


	10. Unexpected visitor

“You can’t do that…we’re in flight! That is…that is physically impossible! How did…?” the Doctor said utterly bewildered on how she got into his ship. He was going to ask Alyssa is she’d sensed anything but she looked as bewildered as he is.

“Tell me where I am. I demand you two tell me right now, where am I?”  the bride demanded.

“Inside the TARDIS miss”, Alyssa replied.

“The what?”

“The TARDIS”, the Doctor said.

“The what?” the woman repeated.

“It’s called the TARDIS”, Alyssa explained as the Doctor turned to the console in order to figure out how she got on board.

“That’s not even a proper word. You’re just saying things”, the bride said angrily as she was missing her own wedding.

“How did you get in here?” the Doctor asked looking at her.

“Well obviously, when you kidnapped me”, she replied. “And obviously I’m not the first you’ve taken”, she added looking at Alyssa.

“He didn’t kidnap me. He’s my friend”

“Did he force you to say that?” the woman asked now noticing the double doors.

“No. honestly he is my friend”, Alyssa insisted. The bride then did something Alyssa didn’t expect. She grabbed hold of her wrist and start pulling her towards the doors wanting to get herself and the other woman away from the mad man.

“Hey!” Alyssa exclaimed trying to remove the woman’s grip from around her wrist.

“No, wait a minute!” the Doctor said seeing the bride dragging Alyssa towards the doors. The woman ignored him. When she reached the doors, she let go of Alyssa’s wrist and threw open the doors of the TARDIS. Both red heads stared out at the supernova, the bride in astonishment while Alyssa had a smile on her face.

“You’re in space. Outer space. This is my… spaceship. It’s called the TARDIS”, the Doctor explained joining them.

“How am I breathing?” the other red head asked Alyssa and the Doctor.

“The TARDIS is protecting us”, the Doctor replied.

“Who are you”, the red head asked.

“I’m the Doctor”

“I’m Alyssa but you can call me Ali. Whats your name?”

“Donna”, the bride replied.

“Human?” the Doctor asked earning him a punch in the arm from Alyssa.

“Is that optional?” Donna asked answering the Doctor’s question.

“Well it is for me”, the Doctor said and Alyssa just rolled her eyes at that.

“So you two are aliens?” Donna asked

“He is. I’m not. As human as they come”, Alyssa replied. “Speaking of. This human is getting a little cold”, she added turning to the Doctor. The Doctor shut the doors quickly and bounded back to the console with Alyssa following.

“But I don’t understand it and I understand everything!”

“Big headed much?” Alyssa muttered to herself.

“This… this can’t happen!”

“Hate to say it to you but it has Doctor. The proof is right in front of you”, Alyssa said gesturing to Donna. Suddenly the Doctor grabs something and goes over to Donna. Alyssa watched as the Doctor used the piece of equipment to look into Donna’s eyes.

“Impossible. Some sort of Subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon Shell. Maybe something…” he broke off when Alyssa snatched the equipment out of his hands and tossed it behind her.

“What did you do that for?”

“One you were overwhelming Donna”, Alyssa could feel the woman’s anxiety and her utter confusion. The red haired bride honestly had no idea how she ended up in the TARDIS “and two you now know how I feel when you took the fez away from me”, Alyssa replied. The Doctor opened his mouth to say something when Donna slapped him.

“What was that for?” the Doctor asked holding a hand to the cheek she’d slapped.

“Get me to the church!” Donna yelled having had enough with the Doctor. She just wanted to get away from him and get married.

“Right! Fine! I don’t want you here anyway”, the Doctor said making Alyssa slap him upside the head. “Ow! Why did you hit me?”

“Because you were being rude and for the fez”

“Will you stop going on about the stupid…”

Alyssa put a hand over his mouth “don’t even think about finishing that sentence mister or I will hit you again. Better yet I’ll toss you out into the supernova. Understood?”

The Doctor nodded and she removed her hand. Alyssa lightly kissed his cheek, the one Donna had slapped. “So where is this wedding then Donna?” she asked turning to her complelety missing the expression on the Doctor’s face.

“Saint Mary’s, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, Earth, and the Solar System”

“Right Doctor you heard her”, Alyssa said turning back to the Doctor. He put it in to the console as Donna spotted something draped over a railing.

“Ali and I aren’t the first women you’ve abducted are we?” Donna asked striding over with the garment in her hands.

“For the last time he didn’t…” Alyssa trailed off when she saw what Donna was holding. She assumed it must’ve belonged to Rose, the friend he had lost. She hadn’t noticed it when they came into the TARDIS earlier which meant the Doctor put it there while she was in the wardrobe.

“That’s my friends”, the Doctor said quietly looking at the shirt in Donna’s hands.

“Where is she then? Popped out for a spacewalk?”

“She’s gone”

“Gone where?”

“Just drop it Donna”, Alyssa said taking the shirt from Donna. She knew that it was a sensitive subject for the Doctor, they hadn’t even talked about it properly. Alyssa never brought it up because she knew how much it hurt to lose someone that you loved. The Doctor and Donna watched as Alyssa gently placed the shirt on the chair. Alyssa felt a tear run down her cheek but she quickly brushed it away hoping that they didn’t see. However, both the Doctor and Donna noticed.

“Did you know her?” Donna asked Alyssa. She looked up at the bride and shook her head.

“No I didn’t. I lost a friend recently too”

“I’m sorry”

“Thank you”

“Right! Chiswick!” the Doctor said trying to change the subject. He runs over to the doors and pulls them open.

“I said Saint Mary’s. What sort of Martian are you? Where’s this?” Donna asked not recognising her surroundings.

“Great piloting skills there Doctor”, Alyssa commented taking in the busy high street.

“Something’s wrong with her”, the Doctor said stroking the TARDIS exterior in concern.

“What is it?” Alyssa asked worried for the ship.

“It’s like she’s recalibrating”, the Doctor said going back inside. Alyssa put her hand on the TARDIS’s side

“Whats wrong? Come on talk to me” she said. She didn’t understand why the TARDIS was able to talk to her in her head but she didn’t mind if it helped the ship to explain what was happening to her. Alyssa closed her eyes and blocked out the Doctor talking and Donna going around the box. The TARDIS didn’t say anything but the woman had a feeling that something was wrong. “Come on you sexy thing talk to me”

That got a very quiet laugh from the blue box _you think I’m sexy?_

“Course I do. You’re the sexiest blue box in the entire universe”, Alyssa replied causing Donna to give her a strange look.

_Digested something_

“What? Digested what?” Alyssa asked. This became too much for Donna. First the strange blue box then the man who was apparently an alien talking to her about zips in foreheads; now Ali was having a conversation with the box. “Donna!” Alyssa heard the Doctor call. She opened her eyes to see the bride running away. The Doctor and Alyssa went after her.

“Come back into the TARDIS”, the Doctor said after the pair caught up to the red head.

“No way. That box it too weird”

“It’s bigger on the inside, that’s all”, Alyssa said.

“Oh! That’s all?” Donna said sarcastically and then she checked her watch “Ten past three. I’m gonna miss it”.

“You can phone them. Tell them where you are”, the Doctor suggested.

“How do I do that?”

“Haven’t you got a mobile? The Doctor asked.

“Doctor she’s in a wedding dress, they don’t have pockets and mine is back in the TARDIS”, Alyssa said. She was beginning to regret leaving it behind.

“This man you’re marrying, what’s his name?” the Doctor asked.

“Lance”, Donna replied in a manner which sound very much like she was in love.

“Good luck Lance”, the Doctor muttered earning him another smack from Alyssa. 

“Oi! No stupid Martian is gonna stop me from getting married. To hell with you!” Donna shouted before running off.

“I’m…I’m not…not from Mars”, the Doctor said feebly.

“Come on!” Alyssa said grabbing his hand and pulling him along as they ran after Donna.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor and Donna spent ages trying to get a cab failing time after time. “Oh for god’s sake”, Alyssa said stepping to the curb. She put her fingers in her mouth and whistled causing both Doctor and Donna to wince.

“Where did you learn to do that?” the Doctor asked as the cab screeched to a halt next to them.

“New York. Ellie and I went there for a few weeks”, Alyssa replied before following Donna into the taxi.

“Saint Mary’s in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road. It’s an emergency, I’m getting married! Just… hurry up!” Donna said instructing the driver as he drove.

“You know it’ll cost you, sweetheart? Double rates today”, the cabbie said.

“Do either of you have any money?” Donna asked.

“Um no. and you?” the Doctor asked.

“Pockets!” Donna exclaimed gesturing to her dress. The taxi stops and the trio piles out.

“Note to self: bring money and mobile with me when we go on these adventures”, Alyssa said quietly to herself.

“I’ll have him. I’ve got him number. I’ll have him. Talk about the Christmas Spirit”, Donna grumbled.

“Is it Christmas?” the Doctor asked surprised.

“Well duh maybe not on Mars, but here it’s Christmas Eve”, Donna said before spotting a phone box and hurried toward it. The Doctor used his screwdriver on the phone before handing the receiver to Donna.

“What did you do?” Donna demanded.

“Something…Martian. Now, phone. I’ll get the money”, Doctor said sprinting towards the nearest cash machine.

Alyssa went to follow him but stopped when she noticed a poster in the window of the WHS Smith. Her eyes widened when she read it, it was for a book that was due to be out early 2008. “Oh my god. This is Christmas Eve 2007. This has just been for me”, she said. _What if I accidently run into myself?_ Alyssa thought panicking. Then it hit her, this was the last Christmas she had with Ellie before she died in Feb 2008. She then wondered if it was possible to warn people about Tanya, stop her before she killed those 6 people including Ellie. Alyssa had got so wrapped up in her thoughts that she’d missed Donna flagging down a taxi. She looked up when the bride shouted at the Doctor.

“Thanks for nothing Spaceman! I’ll see you in court”

Thinking quickly, Alyssa sprinted over to the taxi and flung herself in as just as it was pulling away. “What did you do that for?” Donna asked as the other red head was catching her breath.

“I wanted to make sure that you got to the church safely that’s all”, Alyssa replied relaxing in the seat. Only she and Donna had no idea that the taxi driver had no intention of going to the church. 


	11. Attack at the reception

 “Oi you’re going the wrong way!” Donna exclaimed crossly when the drive missed the turn. She leant across pulling the Santa hood off the driver revealing the robot underneath.

“Bloody hell”, Alyssa swore seeing what the driver was.

“Help us!” Donna cried hitting the window trying to get the other cars attention. Alyssa yanks the handle on her door but it was locked.

“Wish I had a sonic screwdriver”, Alyssa muttered while Donna was still yelling for people to help.

“What are you doing?” Donna asked as the other red head start kicking at the window.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m. Trying. To. Get. Us. Out”, with each word Alyssa kicked the window. She was about to snatch Donna heels and try them when the TARDIS zooming alongside with its doors wide open showing the Doctor piloting her with a piece of string.

“Open the door!”

“What the hell do you want us to open the door for?”  Donna asked.

“Duh so we can escape”, Alyssa replied in a matter of fact way. “Door’s locked!” she shouted to the Doctor. He used his sonic on the door so that the women could push the window down.

“You two are going to have to jump”

“I’m not bleedin’ jumping I’m supposed to be getting married!” Donna said shrilly. The robot put his foot down. With some pretty nifty manoeuvring on the Doctor’s part he managed to catch up with the Taxi again. He sonics the robot disabling it.

“You two need to jump”, the Doctor said again.

“I’m not jumping on the motorway”, Donna insisted.

“Oh for crying out loud”, Alyssa said before giving Donna a shove out of the Taxi. Thankfully the Doctor caught her as she collided with him.

“Ali come on”, he said holding his hand out to her. Alyssa prepared herself to jump but she froze.

“I-I can’t”, she stammered.

“Ali you have to. I’ll catch you”

“You promise?”

“I promise”

Alyssa took a breath before leaping out of the taxi. She like Donna knocked the Time Lord over.

“Ali you can open your eyes now”, he said as she clung onto him eyes closed. “You ok?” the Doctor asked when she eventually opened her eyes.

“Yeah”, she replied getting up to allow the Doctor to stand. Alyssa shut the TARDIS doors and the Doctor pilots the ship up into the air.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How are you holding up?” Alyssa asked sitting next to Donna on the roof that the Doctor had parked the TARDIS.

“Well I missed my wedding”, Donna said gloomily.

“Sorry about that. Couldn’t you book another date?”

“We could”

“You’ve still got the honeymoon”, the Doctor added sitting down next to them.

“It’s just a holiday now”, Donna said still sad. To the surprise of Alyssa and Donna the Doctor pulled out what looked like a wedding ring from his pocket. “Do you have to rub it in?”

“Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper should keep you hidden”, the doctor explained slipping the ring onto her finger “With this ring, I thee bio-damp”.

“For better or worse”, Donna joked.

Alyssa looked at the ring on Donna’s finger and she got this feeling that the ring wasn’t going to be able to shield Donna. “So the robot Santa’s, what are they for?” she asked.

“Your basic robo-scavanger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They’re trying hard to blend in. I met them last Christmas”

“Why, what happened then?” Donna asked.

“Great big spaceship? Hovering over London?”

“I remember that. All those people standing on the rooftops, my mother along with them. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared when I couldn’t stop her from walking to the edge”, Alyssa said starting to fiddle with the charm bracelet around her wrist. She knew it didn’t go with the dress but the jewellery held so many memories that she couldn’t bear to take it off.

“I spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate. With this family. My friend, she had this family. Well, they were…” the Doctor trailed off lost in thought. Alyssa put her hand over his and gave him a small smile when he looked at her. Donna watched the two of them and wondered if there was something between the pair.

The Doctor got up to go over to Donna so he could scan her with his screwdriver. “It’s weird, I mean you’re not special, you’re not powerful, you’re not connected, you’re not clever, you’re not important”

“This friend of yours, just before she left did she punch you in the face?” Donna asked feeling insulted.

“I don’t know if she did but if the Doctor says another thing to insult you I will be punching him”, Alyssa said to Donna. She was also feeling a little insulted despite the Doctor not talking directly to her. “Where do you work Donna?”

“HC Clements. That’s where I met Lance. I was temping”, Donna replied. She began to explain how exactly met her fiancé.

“When was this?” the Doctor asked.

“Six months ago”

“Bit quick to get married”, the Doctor commented.

“Not really if he’s the right person for you”, Alyssa said.

“What about you two?”

“What about us?”

“Are you two together?” Donna asked.

“No he’s just a friend. I have a boyfriend, Ben”, Alyssa replied quickly.

“Anyway you may have missed your wedding but you still have the reception”, the Doctor said changing the subject. He helped both women to their feet and they make their way to the reception on foot this time.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The reception hall falls silent when the trio entered the room. “You had the reception without me?” Donna asked shocked that they would do that.

“Well it was all paid for, why not?” a blonde replied looking at Donna with obvious dislike.

“Why not? I’ll tell you why not. You don’t have a reception when one of the people it is for is missing. Doesn’t matter if you’ve paid for it”, Alyssa said deciding that she didn’t like the blonde.

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Alyssa, Barbie. Donna’s friend”, Alyssa said putting an arm around the bride.

“Well what the hell happened to you Donna? How did you do it? I mean, what’s the trick because I’d love to know”, Sylvia asked. Then suddenly the whole room starts talking at Donna. Alyssa wanted to yell at them to get them to lay off of the poor bride. They had no idea what she’d just been through. She didn’t even get the chance to because Donna started to cry. Lance pushed Alyssa out of the way so he could hug her. Donna winked at both Alyssa and the Doctor through her fake crying. The other red head was impressed how she could ‘cry’ on cue like that.  Alyssa leans against the bar with the Doctor looking on at the party going on in front of them.

“You know I did get dressed up. Fancy a dance Doctor?” Alyssa asked as the music became more upbeat.

“Sure”

They went to the dance floor to join the other guests. While pair danced, the Doctor noticed another couple nearby. When the man dipped the blonde woman and then brought her back up reminded him of something similar that happened when Cassandra left Rose’s body during their trip to New Earth. Without realising it, he’d stopped dancing with Alyssa. She looked over and realised that the couple must be bringing back memories for the Doctor. He’d promised to help her move forward on the day of the funeral and she wanted to do the same for him. Alyssa noticed the camera man in the corner who was recording everything. “Doctor lets go talk to the camera guy. He might have caught what happened to Donna during the wedding”, she said to him. The Doctor nodded and they headed over to him.

“Hi. I was curious about Donna’s disappearing act. Did you catch it on tape?” Alyssa asked him.

“You bet I did”, he replied. Moments later the trio was watching Donna’s disappearance.

“What the?” Alyssa said when Donna vanished in a golden glow.

 “It can’t be”, the Doctor said. He got the cameraman to play it again. “But that looks like Huon Particles!” he exclaimed.

“What’s that?” both Alyssa and the cameraman asked in unison.

“That’s impossible, that’s ancient! Huon energy doesn’t exist anymore, not for billions of years! So old that…” the Doctor looked at the gold ring on Donna’s finger.

“The bio-damper doesn’t work”, Alyssa finished. She was mentally kicking herself that she didn’t say anything about the feeling she’d had back on the roof. The Doctor rushed over to the window while Alyssa approached Donna.

“They’ve found you”, she said taking her to one side. 

“But the Doctor said I was safe”

“The biodamper doesn’t work. We have to get everyone out now”, the Doctor said when he joined them.

“Let’s go out the back”, Alyssa suggested which the Doctor agreed. However, when he opened the back door they saw two robot Santa’s standing there. The trio back away and head to the window where more robot Santa’s were outside. The Doctor glanced at the Christmas trees when both robots raised the remotes in their hands.

“Christmas trees…”

“What about them?” Donna asked.

“They kill”, he replied with a serious look on his face. The three quickly try and get people away from the evil evergreens.

“Stay away from that tree!” Alyssa ordered to the remaining people who were too close to the tree.

“That woman is an idiot! What’s a Christmas tree gonna do?” Sylvia asked. She got her answer when the baubles float off the tree and hover above everyone. The wedding guests were excited at first until the baubles started dive bombing them and exploding. One bauble landed near Alyssa’s feet. Suddenly she saw tackled to the side as it exploded, it was the Doctor. He quickly pulled her to one of the tables.

“Stay under here”, he instructed before charging over to the DJ’s stand. Alyssa ducked under the table just as he said to. She heard him say something through a microphone before a high pitched screeching noise rang through the air. Alyssa clapped her hands over her ears to try and block out the noise. Alyssa crawled out from under the table when the noise stopped. She saw the robot Santa’s in pieces. She and Donna walked up to the Doctor who was examining the Robo Santa’s parts. “You ok?” he asked them both but he was looking at Alyssa.

“I’m ok”

“Me too. You’re a Doctor people have been hurt”, Donna said. The Doctor just ignored her and carried on working.

“Who’s been hurt Donna?” Alyssa asked her face full of concern.

“Uh”

“Donna you said people have been hurt. I do have some basic first aid training”

“Right. This way”

Donna led her over to some guests that had injuries. Thankfully none of them were too serious. As she was cleaning up a cut on a man’s arm, a little girl wandered up. “Hello”

“Hi”, she said shyly.

“Have you been hurt?” Alyssa asked and the girl nodded. “Where?”

“I scraped my knee when hiding under the table”, she explained.

“Alright let’s have a look at it”, Alyssa said. The girl sat on the chair while the woman inspected it. “I’m going to clean it now. It might hurt a little bit but I promise I’ll be gentle”

Alyssa gently dabbed her knee with a wet napkin “I’m Alyssa. Whats your name?” she asked as she cleaned the scrape.

“Connie”

“That’s a lovely name”

“Thank you”

The Doctor paused in his work and watched Alyssa interact with the little girl. He smiled when the woman kissed the girl’s knee before the girl got up from the chair and hugged her. Alyssa then stood up and wandered over to him with a smile on her face. “You’re pretty good with kids”, he commented.

“I used to babysit for my neighbour in college. They were much younger than Connie though. Anyway what have you found out from that?” she asked geusturing to the robot head he had in his hands.

“Nothing yet”

“Really? I’m surprised you can’t hear the beeping coming from that”, she said. The Doctor held the head up to his ear and sure enough he heard the beeping too. He grinned at her

“There’s still a signal!” he said jumping up. Alyssa followed the Time Lord out of the building. “There’s someone behind this, directing the robo-force”, he said scanning the head.

“Who?” Alyssa asked as Donna joined them outside.

“But why is it me? What have I done?” Donna asked.

“If we find the controller, we’ll find that out. Oh!” the Doctor raised his sonic into the air and looked up. “It’s up there. Something in the sky” That made both women look up. 


	12. Investigating HC Clements

“Doctor this is going to sound really strange but I think that HC Clements is where this all started”, Alyssa said.

“Why do you think that?” the Doctor asked her.

“You know when I told you that I can sense people’s emotions and feelings?”

“Yeah”

“Well I also get feelings of a different kind. For example before I met you I told my mum that our lodger was going to be a mad man with a box. Which of course when she asked you, you denied it but now…”

“You know it’s true”

“Well I know you’re a man with a box. I don’t yet know if you’re a mad man”

“Don’t worry Ali. Just wait a few more adventures. I’ll prove to you I’m a mad man”

Alyssa gave him a thumbs up “great! I can’t wait”, she said with fake enthusiasm.

“Oi!” Donna shouted causing them to look at her “can you two get back to the problem at hand?”

“Yeah we can”, Alyssa said. The Doctor turned to the groom who’d also joined them outside. 

“Lance is it? Can you give me a lift?” he asked.

Eventually they made it to HC Clements. “So you think that the company I work for is behind everything that has happened because of a ‘feeling’?” Donna asked Alyssa.

“Yep”, Alyssa replied flopping down in an office chair. Donna turned to the Doctor hoping he would have some better answers.

“If Alyssa’s right and HC Clements is behind this, what do they want with me?”

The Doctor launched into an explanation using a blue mug and a 4H pencil. “I’m a pencil inside a mug?”

“Yes, you are. 4H. sums you up”, the Doctor said glancing at Alyssa who was currently swivelling back and forth in the office chair with her eyes shut. “Lance what was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?”

“I don’t know, I’m in charge of personnel. I wasn’t project manager”, Lance said defensively. Alyssa frowned at the tone of his voice. There was something he wasn’t telling them. She jumped off the chair and wandered down the corridor towards the lift.

“Ali?” the Doctor said as she pushed the button to call the lift to their floor.

“If I was doing something super-secret and I didn’t want anyone to know… Alyssa stepped in the lift and pointed to where it said lower basement “I would have a secret floor”. 

“You’re brilliant. You know that?” the Doctor said proudly.

“It’s been known to happen from time to time”, Alyssa said making like it was no big deal.

“It needs a key”, Donna said gesturing to the elevator controls.

“I don’t”, the Doctor said pulling out his sonic screwdriver. He sonics the lock and steps in the lift next to Alyssa. “Right. Thanks you two but we can handle this. See you later”

“No chance, Martian. You and Ali are the ones who keeps saving my life, I ain’t letting you two out of my sight”, Donna said firmly getting in the lift. “Lance?” she added looking at her husband to be.

“Maybe I should call the police”

“Inside”, Donna said equally firm as before. Lance does so but reluctantly.

“To honour and obey?” the doctor said jokingly earning him a hit in the arm by Alyssa.

 “Ow! Will stop doing that!”

“Nope. I will keep hitting you every time you are rude, Martian”

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her use of the nickname that Donna kept calling him. When the lift doors opened after it reached the lower basement, the four where met with a dimly lit corridor. “You recon H C Clements knows about this place?” Donna asked as they stepped out.

“The mysterious Mr HC Clements? I think he’s part of it”, the Doctor replied. Alyssa’s eyes lit up when she saw the Segways.

“I bags this one”, she said going over to one of them. Soon they were zooming along the corridor. “Woo!” Alyssa said speeding ahead of the trio. Just to show off she did a little donut laughing the whole way. The Doctor was happy to see her laughing, it was nice to see her not weighted down by the loss of her best friend. They stopped at a door marked “Torchwood- authorised personnel only”

The Doctor turns the wheel on the door. It swings open to reveal a ladder. “Hey, you better come back”, Alyssa said as he started up the ladder.

“Course I will. Trust me I’m the Doctor”

The Time Lord climbs up the ladder while Donna, Alyssa and Lance watched. Alyssa refrained from making any comments about the Time Lord’s backside even if it was rather nice to look at. She turned to Lance planning to use the short time to confront him on what he was hiding. 

Do you know what an empath is?” Lance shook his head “it’s someone who can sense emotions and feelings of a person. It’s also very handy for knowing if someone is lying. I know you’re hiding something. Come out with it”

“Alyssa I’m not hiding anything”, Lance said. Before she could say anything else, the Doctor came back.

“So where did that lead then?” she asked.

“Thames flood barrier”, he replied.

“The Thames? Of all the places to have a secret area”

“Well the London Eye was used by the Nestene Consciousness as a transmitter”

When the three humans came him a confused look he elaborated “shop window dummies coming to life in 2005?”

Alyssa’s eyes widened as she remembered “oh! My mother’s friend Tasha told us about being attacked by shop window dummies. I thought she’d had too much to drink”

“Nope it actually happened”

“But you stopped it. You saved the day like you always do”, Alyssa said linking her arm with his as they walked.

“Yep”, the Doctor said popping the p.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh look at this! Stunning! Particle extrusion!” the Doctor said looking at the whole process going on in front of them in the lab.

“What does it do?” Donna asked.

“Particle extrusion. Hold on…” the Doctor ran over to the bubbling test tubes “brilliant. They’ve been manufacturing Huon particles. In case my people got rid of Huons, they unravelled the atomic structure.

“Your people? Who are they? What company do you two represent?” Lance asked the Doctor and Alyssa who by this time had joined the Time Lord in examining the test tubes.

“He’s a freelancer and I’m his assistant”, Alyssa replied.

Yes my brilliant assistant. This lot have been rebuilding Huon particles using the river. Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they’ve got the end result of Huon particles in liquid form”, the Doctor explained.

“And that’s what’s inside of me?” Donna asked.

The Doctor turned the knob at the top of the test tube making the liquid inside glow. “Oh my god!” Donna exclaimed when she started to glow as well.

“Because the particles re inert, they need something living to catalyse inside and that’s you. Saturate the body and then… Ha!” the Doctor said making Donna jump. “The wedding! Yes, you’re getting married, that’s it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle, oh, and your body’s a battleground! There’s a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, wham go the endorphins, oh you’re cooking! Yeah, you’re like a w…” Alyssa clapped a hand over his mouth stopping him in mid ramble when she saw that Donna was getting annoyed again.

“As much I love listening to you ramble, not all of us are used to it. Besides it was this or letting Donna slap you again”, she said giving her reasoning behind cutting of his talking.

“Just tell me, these particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?” Donna asked worried.

“Yes”, the doctor said rather unconvincingly after Alyssa removed her hand from his mouth. Alyssa could tell that he was lying just like Lance. She turned to talk to the man but he’d slipped away. The woman mentally kicked herself for not getting him to tell her what he was hiding earlier, before they gotten in the lift.

“If your lot got rid of Huon particles…why did they do that?” Donna asked.

“Because they were deadly”, he replied gently.

“Donna the Doctor’s going to sort this out, I promise”, Alyssa said putting her arm around the woman.

“She’s right. I’m not about to lose someone else”, the Doctor added. Their moment was interrupted by crashes and bangs. One of the walls suddenly slides upwards to show a chamber with a large hole in the floor.

“I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to awaken!” a voice said echoing through the chamber. The Doctor, Alyssa and Donna saw more Robo Santas around the walls of the chamber. Lance the coward, had run off.

“Someone has been digging…that seems like something Torchwood would do”

“Torchwood?”

“They were behind the battle of Canary Warf”

Alyssa and Donna gave him a blank look “Cyberman invasion?”

“Those metal men pretending to be ‘ghosts’?” Alyssa asked making quotes with her fingers as she said ghosts.

“Yes”

“What where those giant salt shakers then?” she asked recalling what she’d seen on the news. She had been lucky that day not to have been visited by those ‘ghosts’.

“Daleks”, the Doctor replied solemnly. Alyssa could tell by the expression on his face that he hated Daleks. _Maybe it had something to do with what happened to Rose_ she thought.

“How far down does it go?” Alyssa asked looking down at the hole.

“Down and down, all the way to the centre of the Earth!” the voice said. 

“Really? What for?” the Doctor asked.

“Dinosaurs”, Donna replied also looking at the hole.

“What?” the Doctor asked confused.

“You meant that film Under the Earth. I highly doubt there’s dinosaurs down there. I have a feeling its far worse”

“Clever girl. It is so much worse”

“Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don’t want to make me mad. Where are you?”

“High in the sky, floating so high on Christmas night”

“I didn’t come all this way to talk on the intercom! Come on, let’s have a look at you”

“Who are you with such command?” the voice asked.

“I’m the Doctor”

“Prepare your best medicines, doctor-man, for you will be sick at heart”, the voice said. The Doctor’s eyes widened when he saw the being that teleported into the chamber.

“The Racnoss but that’s impossible, you’re one of the Racnoss!”


	13. Empress of Racnoss

“Empress of the Racnoss” the spider corrected.

“She’s the last of her kind”, Alyssa said quietly.

“Such a clever little girl”, the spider said pretty much confirming what Alyssa assumed. The Doctor noticed a pair of shoes sticking out from a giant web in the ceiling.

“HC Clements, did he wear those… those erm, black and white shoes?” the Doctor asked Donna.

“He did! We used to call him the fat cat in spats”, Donna replied smiling a little at the memory. Her smile fell when the Doctor pointed up and she looked. “Oh my god!” Donna exclaimed looking at the shoes. It made Alyssa feel sick just thinking about the Racnoss devouring that man.

“Mm, my Christmas dinner”, the Empress said cackling.

“You shouldn’t even exist! Way back in history, the Fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss, they were wiped out”, the Doctor said trying to figure out how the Empress could’ve survived.

“Except for me”

Donna at this time had noticed Lance on the balcony above the Racnoss. “But that’s what inside of me, that Huon energy thing”, she said but the Racnoss paid her no attention. That got Alyssa mad, she wanted answers as much as Donna did.

“Oi! You will look at my friend when she’s talking to you! Where does Donna fit in to all of this? Why has she got these Huon particles inside of her?” she demanded. She smacked her hands on the railing making the Empress look at her.

“The woman is feisty”

“Yes I am. Must be the red hair”

“Well I know one thing.  Spider is a spider and an axe is an axe! Now do it!” Donna said to Lance which was when Alyssa noticed him. Lance swings the axe but stops short of the hitting the Empress. He lowered the weapon and they both began to laugh much to the confusion of Donna.

“I’m sorry”, the Doctor said quietly to her. At that moment he’d worked out that Lance was working with the Empress, he was the one who was dosing her with Huon particles for months.

“Sorry for what? Lance, don’t be stupid! Get her!” Donna said not understanding at all.

“God, she’s so thick”, Lance said as Donna still didn’t get it.

“Donna he’s been giving you coffee for months. Coffee dosed with Huon particles”, Alyssa explained trying to stay calm. Now she knew what he’d been hiding and it made her angry. All she wanted to do right now punch Lance so hard that he wouldn’t get back up. Better yet she wanted to toss him into the nearest black hole along with the Empress.

“He was poisoning me?”

“I’m afraid so”, Alyssa said to her softly.

“It was all there in the job title, the Head of Human Resources”, the Doctor said

“This time it was personnel”, Lance joked and he and Empress started laughing again.

“But we were getting married”, Donna said quietly. She then had to listen to Lance hurling abuse about her pointless nattering’s which was making Donna more and more upset while Alyssa was on the verge of losing her temper again. The Doctor wasn’t exactly happy with what they’d done to Donna either despite not really getting along with the woman in the beginning.

“You’re gonna regret insulting her like that”, Alyssa snapped putting an arm around Donna.

“Oh what are you going to do?” he asked not really afraid of her.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you come down here and find out?” Alyssa said glaring at him.

“But I love you”, Donna spoke up.

“That’s what made it so easy. It’s like you said Doctor, the big picture, whats the point of it all if the human race is nothing? That’s what the Empress can give me. The chance to go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don’t you Doctor?”

“Who is this little physician?” the Empress asked.

“Oh, I’m sort of… homeless. But the point is, whats down here? The Racnoss are extinct. What’s gonna help you four thousand miles down? That’s just the molten core of the Earth, isn’t it?” the Doctor asked wanting them to pretty much tell him what they were up to but of course it never was that simple or easy.

“I think he wants us to talk”

“I think so too”, the Empress agreed.

“Well tough! All we need is Donna!”

“Kill this chattering little doctor-man and flame haired child!”

“Don’t you hurt them!” Donna said stepping in front of the Doctor and Alyssa in an effort to protect them.

“At arms!” the Empress commanded her Santa robots who pointed their guns at the trio.

“Ah now. Except”, the Doctor said rather calmly, he had an idea on how to get them all out.

“Take aim!”

“Well, I just want to point out the obvious…”

“They won’t hit the bride. They’re such good shots”

“Just…just hold on, just a tick…just a tiny little tick. If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So reverse it…”

“The spaceship comes to her”, Alyssa muttered looking at the tube in his hands figuring out what he was planning to do. The Doctor smiled at her before twisting the top of the tube causing both Donna and the particles to glow. The Santa Robots fired at the trio but it was too late, the TARDIS had materialised around them.

“We need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. If something’s buried at the planet core, it must’ve been there since the beginning. That’s just brilliant!” the Doctor said working at the console. Alyssa put her arms around Donna as she began to cry. She led her to the captain’s chair and sat down. Alyssa rubbed the top of Donna’s arm while the bride silently cried on her shoulder.

The Time Lord looked over at them from where he stood at the console. “We’ve arrived”, he said and the two women looked at him.

“Shall we go check out the creation of Earth then?” Alyssa suggested.

“I suppose”

Donna reluctantly got up and followed Alyssa and the Doctor over to the doors. “You two are going to be the first humans who’ll see this”, the Doctor said before he opened the doors.

“I’ll admit seeing a star go supernova was amazing but this just tops it”, Alyssa said gazing out at giant dust and gas clouds dotted with large rocks that would eventually come together and form the Earth. They spot a star shaped rock as it emerges through the dust and clouds.

“Is that?”

“The Racnoss”, the Doctor said looking at it. He quickly shut the doors and went back over to the console.

“They became the center of the Earth”, Alyssa said as they watched it on the monitor. Suddenly the TARDIS shook violently.

“Whats happening?” Donna asked.

 “Thanks Sexy!” Alyssa said which made the Doctor and Donna give her confused looks. “The Empress is pulling us back to her”, she explained.

“Ali what are you…” the Doctor began when she produced the Extrapolator.

“Use this! It’ll get us away from her”

“Brilliant Ali!” the Doctor said taking it from her. As the TARDIS started to materialize in the chamber, the Doctor whacked the Extrapolator. The blue box then reappeared in a corridor. The trio left the TARDIS and ran down the corridor to the door which led to the Thames Flood Barrier.

“Now what do we do?” Donna asked catching her breath.

“I don’t know! I make it up as I go along! But trust me, I’ve got history”

“I trust you Doctor. You always come through”

The Doctor gave her a smile before producing a stethoscope. “But I don’t understand. I’m full of particles. What for?” Donna asked.

“There’s a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth but my people unravelled their power source”

“So the Racnoss is stuck because there are no Huon particles for them to use. That’s why they dosed you Donna. They needed to ‘activate’ the particles presumably to extract them later to power up that thing in the center of the Earth”, Alyssa added putting two and two together.

“Did I ever tell you how brilliant you are?” the Doctor asked.

“This would be the third time”, Alyssa replied it was then that she realised Donna was missing. _Damn it!_

“Well you really are brilliant”, the Doctor said before going into a long ramble. Alyssa hated to slip off but she had to get to Donna. She quickly but quietly hurried down the corridor. The Doctor paused in his rambling when it got to the point of mentioning the fez as he expected her to hit him but he was surprised that she didn’t “Ali?” he said glancing behind him. Both red heads were missing. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa found herself a good hiding spot to watch the proceedings and where she could best help out when the Doctor’s rescue would go wrong which she had a feeling that it would.  She couldn’t explain why she kept getting these feelings and she didn’t know how the TARIDS could talk to her in her mind. Alyssa also knew that the Doctor would probably have questions for her later. She watched as both Donna and Lance glowed gold before a golden stream flowed out of their bodies and down into the hole. The woman didn’t even gasp when Lance fell down the hole. _He got what he deserved/_

“My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them! So you might as well unmask, my clever little doctor-man”, the Empress said looking up at a robot who was on the stairs. Alyssa glanced up and saw it was the Doctor.

“Oh well nice try. I’ve got you Donna!” the Doctor said pointing his sonic at the webbing that was holding her to the ceiling. This was when Alyssa decided to emerge from her hiding place which the Doctor noticed.

The bride screamed as she swung across the gap. She collided with Alyssa sending them both sprawling. “Ouch. You ok?” Alyssa asked.

“Yep. Thanks for the save”

“No problem sorry it couldn’t be better”, Alyssa apologised getting to her feet along with Donna. Seeing that both women were ok, the Doctor turned his attention back to the Empress.

“Empress of the Racnoss, I give you one last chance. I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to coexist. Take this offer and end this now”, he said.

“These men are so funny”

“What’s you answer?”

“I’m afraid I have to decline”, the Empress said laughing.

“What happens next is you own doing”, the Doctor said seriously. The Empress tried to get her robots to shoot the Doctor but somehow he managed to switch them off. “I warned you. You did this”, he added producing some baubles. He throws them into the air. A few hit the walls, exploding and causing more water to flow down the hole. A couple exploded at the Empress’ feet making her writhe in agony.

“My children!” she screeched in grief. The Doctor just watches surrounded by fire and water looking to Donna and Alyssa like some avenging god and it scared them.

“Doctor! You can stop now!” Donna shouted. He just ignored her and watched the Racnoss in pain.

“Doctor please!” Alyssa added looking thoroughly scared of him. In the short time she knew him, she’d never seen this side of him before. He looked down at them both, his expression changing slightly.

“Come on. Time I got you both out”

When they reached the surface, they were in time to see the Empress’ ship being destroyed. “Um guys. We have a slight problem. We’ve drained the Thames”, Alyssa said which made them all laugh.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“There you go. Told you she could survive anything”, the Doctor said when they stepped out of the TARDIS which appeared outside of Donna’s home.

“More than I’ve done”

“You’ll be ok Donna”, Alyssa said. She looked at the Doctor “you don’t happen to have a pen on you?”

Sure enough he produced one from his seemingly bottomless pockets. Alyssa wrote her number on Donna’s hand “you ever fancy a chat, give me a call and maybe we could meet up. I am only from a few months into 2008”

“I may take you up on that”

“One last thing before you head inside”, the Doctor said before flicking a switch just inside the TARDIS. A beam shot out from the light and exploded making snow fall down on top of them.

“I can’t believe you did that!”

“Oh, basic atmospheric excitation”, the Doctor said casually as Alyssa held out her hands to catch some of the snow.

“It was really great to meet you Donna”, Alyssa said deciding to head into the TARDIS as she was getting cold in her dress.

“Likewise”

When Alyssa stepped into the blue box, Donna turned to the Doctor. “You must be happy to have her around”

“Yeah I am”, the Doctor agreed looking back at the TARDIS.

“Good because I think you need someone to stop you”

The Doctor looked at Donna but didn’t say anything. He knew that his actions must’ve unnerved Alyssa as she’d never seen him like that. “That friend of yours…what was her name?”

“Rose. Her name was Rose”


	14. Falling out

When the Doctor found Alyssa, she was curled up on the sofa in the library with a book. She stiffened when he sat down and kept her gaze fixed on her book. “Ali”, the Doctor said but she didn’t lower the book “Ali I’m sorry that you had to see me like that” the red haired woman still didn’t say anything to him. The Doctor got up, he wasn’t going to force her to talk to him.

“I’m scared”, Alyssa said as he started to walk away “I’m scared of you” the Doctor turned around to face her but didn’t sit back down. “The way you just looked at the Racnoss, completely emotionless…surrounded by fire and water… you looked like an avenging god. I’ve never seen you like that. It scared me”

“I’m sorry you had to see me like that. I never meant to scare you”

Alyssa looked at him. She knew he was telling her the truth this time. She also could tell that he didn’t mean to scare her either. Alyssa stood up and gave him a hug “I promise you won’t have to see me like that again”

“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep Doctor” Alyssa stepped back out of the hug “we can go anywhere in time right?”

“Within reason. Is there somewhere you want to go?”

“Late January 2008”

“Easy!” the Doctor said taking Alyssa’s hand leading her to the console room. “Not the most interesting point in time. How come you want to go there?” the Doctor asked when they got to the console room.

“To warn people”

“Warn people? About what?” the Doctor asked bouncing around the console.

“Tanya Barrett”

That made the Doctor stop and look at her. “You can’t”

“Why not?”

“Ali you can’t go back because it’s dangerous if you run into yourself”

“Then I’d make sure not to run into myself”

The Doctor knew that she only had the best intentions, just like Rose had the best intentions and that turned out to be a disaster. He wasn’t going to let Alyssa make the same mistake. “Ali you can’t go back and changed what happened period”

“Why not? It’s not like I’m asking you to go back to the later 1930’s to assassinate Hitler to prevent the formation of the third Reich. I’m asking to prevent the deaths of 6 people”

“Ali I know you’re missing your best friend. I understand how much it hurts…”

“I’m not asking to do it for me. I want to do it for the victims who had their whole lives ahead of them; their families who wouldn’t have to mourn for them and you. You would never feel guilty about taking Tanya’s life in order to save me”, Alyssa said interrupting the Doctor.

“Why would you think that I felt guilty?”

“Because you were sad the morning after we confronted her, I could feel it. I also felt terrible because you would never had to have gone that far if you weren’t saving my life. Again. Maybe you should’ve let her kill me”, she said muttering the last part which he heard.

“Don’t you ever think that Ali. Yes I would’ve rather had a different outcome but when it came down to it, I couldn’t let you die”

“Why? It’s like you said to Donna: not important; not special. I’m just a human. One of billions living on planet Earth”

“You’re a psychic. That’s pretty special”

Alyssa scoffed “not really. I can’t advertise what I am because then people would look at me like I’m a freak, just like my dad does. Do you know what it was like being at Ellie’s Wake? I felt like I was suffocating in grief, sorrow and pain. That why I want to go back. To change what happened so Ellie’s family doesn’t have to feel that pain”

“Ali I’m sorry but you can’t not without consequences”

“Consequences? What consequences could there be?”

“You wouldn’t understand”, the Doctor said going back to the console.

“Oh and I suppose Rose did understand”

The Doctor turned around and stormed up to her “yes she did. You really want to know what would happen.”

“Yes!”

“Fine”, the Doctor said before putting his fingers on her temples. Alyssa gasped at the flashes of images the suddenly bombarded her mind. _Please no more!_ She thought wanting them to stop. The Doctor quickly removed his fingers from her temples when he got a sharp pain in his own mind as if something had lashed out at him for what he did.

Alyssa stares at him, green eyes wide and brimming with tears. “Ali I…”

“Just leave me alone”, she said before running off to another part of the TARDIS.

“What have I done?” Doctor said sitting down in the chair putting his head in his hands. _Alyssa only had the best intentions. She didn’t understand what would happen_.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa ran through the ship to her room. She entered, slammed the door behind her and flopped down on the bed sobbing. She couldn’t believe what the Doctor had shown her in her mind. Alyssa also couldn’t believe that the Time Lord would force his way into her mind without even asking first.

_Come on sweetie he was just trying to explain to you_

“Why didn’t he just tell me what would happen? I think I should leave. I can’t stay around him”

_He needs you_

Alyssa shook her head “no he doesn’t”

_Yes he does. He’s hurting more than you know_

The young woman sighed “what am I supposed to do Sexy? He shouldn’t have done what he did”

_It takes two to make an argument. You both said things that you shouldn’t have said_

“I suppose we did”, Alyssa said sitting up and wiping her eyes “you meant he’s hurting because of losing Rose”

_Yes_

“I take it you’re not going to tell me about it”

_It’s not my story to tell_

“I understand Sexy”, Alyssa said. She got up and slowly walked back to the console room. The woman found the Doctor sitting on the chair with his head in his hands. “Doctor”, she said and he looked up at her. It looked like he’d been crying too.

“I take it you want to go home”, he said getting up. Alyssa wanted to but when she saw his expression, she couldn’t be angry with him.

“No”, she said walking up to him “I want a reason to stay”. The Doctor looked at her wondering if he’d misheard what she said. He assumed that Alyssa would’ve asked to be dropped off. The woman shook her head and started to walk away.

“I need you”, the Doctor said making her pause. Alyssa turned back around to face him. “I need you Ali”.


	15. Making up

_“I take it you want to go home”, he said getting up. Alyssa wanted to but when she saw his expression, she couldn’t be angry with him._

_“No”, she said walking up to him “I want a reason to stay”. The Doctor looked at her wondering if he’d misheard what she said. He assumed that Alyssa would’ve asked to be dropped off. The woman shook her head and started to walk away._

_“I need you”, the Doctor said making her pause. Alyssa turned back around to face him. “I need you Ali”._

“For months after I lost Rose I stayed in the TARDIS. Didn’t go anywhere, barely did anything”, Doctor said. He sat down on the chair and Alyssa joined him. “I was distraught and broken then I met you. A young woman who was kind and puts others needs before herself. Ali you may not have known it but you were actually helping me to slowly move on. You’re the first person I’ve let get close to me since Rose. That’s why I need you because without you I feel like I’m going to fall apart all over again”

Alyssa reached up and wiped away the tears that ran down his face. “And I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I should never have lost my temper and I should never have forced my way into your mind”, he said.

“I’m sorry too. I’m also to blame I shouldn’t have asked you to go back to change what happened”

“You had good intentions”

“I know but I still should never have pushed you and I should never have brought up Rose like that. That was way out of line because I know it’s a sensitive subject”

“Yeah it is. But I think you should know what happened at the battle of Canary Warf”

“Doctor you don’t have to tell me not until you are ready to”

“Ali I want to”

“Ok. Why don’t we get some tea?” Alyssa suggested.

“Sounds good”, the Doctor agreed. They headed to the kitchen. Alyssa made the tea while the Doctor leant against the counter. When she’d made the tea, the Doctor started to tell her what happened. “It started when Rose and I went back to her home. Jackie said that her dad had started visiting. We didn’t believe her at first then we saw the ‘ghost’…” the Doctor continued to explain what they’d done after and how they found out that the ghosts came from Canary Warf aka Torchwood. “Yvonne Hartman told me that they found this sphere that has no heat, no atomic mass; no radiation; doesn’t weigh anything and its got no age”

“That’s impossible.  How can any object not weight anything or give of heat?”

“Nothing normal”

“What happened next?” Alyssa asked. She listened to him tell her what Yvonne had planned for the hole that was produced as a cause of the sphere coming through. “Did she really think that anything good would come from poking and prodding?”

“She had good intentions”

“I guess you tried to stop her from doing this ghost shift?”

“I did but she wouldn’t listen. I explained to her what would happen if she kept going”

“And?”

“I think she was going to when the ghost shift was started up by the others in the room. The Cybermen had control of them and used them to open up the void allowing the rest to come through”

“Oh my. When did the Daleks come?”  Alyssa asked recalling that the Doctor mentioned them being in the battle when they were at HC Clements.

“They were already in Torchwood. They were in the sphere”

“How did you stop them?” Alyssa asked. She could see the pained expression on the Time Lord’s face. “Doctor its ok you don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to”, she said. She figured that it was hard enough for him to tell her this much.

“No I want to tell you everything”, The Doctor said. He swallowed “I opened the void to pull all the Daleks and Cybermen in because they were saturated with void stuff”

Alyssa wanted to ask about the void stuff but she didn’t want to interrupt “Rose and I held on to these large magnets to avoid getting sucked in ourselves. Then one of…the levers started to move down and R-rose let go of the magnet to push it back up. Her father managed to save her from being sucked in the void when she lost her grip” the Doctor paused to wipe tears away. “She’s in the parallel world with her family. The void closed and I’m never going to see her again”

“Doctor I’m so sorry”, Alyssa said. She was glad that he told her what had happened to Rose. “Thank you for telling me”, she said hugging him.

“Please don’t go Ali”, he whispered burying his head into her neck, tears started to flow down his cheeks. Alyssa closed her eyes, her own beginning to water.

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise”

The pair hugged and cried completely forgetting the tea. Eventually they stopped. “We’ve let the tea get cold. You want another one?” Alyssa asked wiping her eyes.

“Sure”

Alyssa remade the tea and they sat down to drink it. “You said that I was helping you move on. Well you’ve been doing the same for me too”, she said taking a sip of her drink “Thank you Doctor”.

“You’re welcome”

“Doctor can I tell you something? This is something that even my mother doesn’t know”

“Ali just because I told you about what happened to Rose doesn’t mean you have to share something personal”

“I want to just like you wanted to tell me about the Battle of Canary Warf”, Alyssa said. She took another sip of her tea. “I was depressed over losing my gran. I was stuck in a hole and I wasn’t able to get out. One day things got so bad that I decided to go to sleep and never wake up” Alyssa gripped her mug tightly “I took sleeping pills, way more than the recommended amount. Then I went to sleep and I didn’t think I was going to wake up. The next day I woke up and I was still alive. I couldn’t understand why it didn’t work, m-maybe I didn’t take enough or maybe someone wanted me to live. Later that day I went to the cemetery to sit by my grans grave. That was the day that man I told you about”

_~flashback~_

_Alyssa leant against a grave stone staring at her grandmother’s one. “You know losing a loved one is never easy”, a Scottish male voice said._

_“You have experience with losing loved ones?” she asked looking up at him. He was an older man wearing a suit with a long black coat that had a red lining._

_“Unfortunately I have. Can I give you some advice?”_

_“I don’t know you’re not going to tell me to take it one day at a time are you?”_

_“No”_

_“Ok. Go ahead then”_

_The best way to deal with grief is to just keep going. Just keep living for the people we still have in our lives. We need to live for those we have lost too for they’re never truly gone. They still live within our memories and our hearts”_

_Alyssa looked at her maternal grandmother’s headstone as she thought over what the man said. “Actually that’s a good piece of advice. Thanks”, she said looking up and was surprised to see the stranger was no longer there._

_~end~_


	16. Playing dodgems with asteroids

“You can’t be serious!” Alyssa exclaimed to the Doctor as he bounced around the console as he programmed the TARDIS. The Time Lord just grinned at her and kept going. They’d been having a Star Wars marathon and had just watched the part where Hans Solo flew the Millennium Falcon when the Doctor declared he could do a better job. “Sexy is not going to like doing this”

“Of course she will”

“No she really won’t”, Alyssa said hearing the TARDIS protest in her head.

“Come on Ali lets live a little”

“I have lived a little. I’ve lived 23 years and I would love to get to 24”

 _Pull that lever in front of you_ the TARDIS said as the console started to make noise indicating that the engines were starting up. Alyssa did so and it quietened. “Let’s go back and continue the marathon”

“But that’s boring”, the Doctor whined “we haven’t done anything fun in a while”

“Oh so you’re saying all those trips we’ve taken…” Alyssa proceeded to list some of the most recent ones “…were boring?”

“Well some of them weren’t”, the Doctor replied. To make up for what he did, forcing his way into her mind, he took her on some nice, relaxing trips. Many of them were to places around the world that Alyssa had always wanted to go. Some of them were interesting for the Doctor but some of them were a bit boring to him. However, he refrained from doing something that would most likely get him into trouble because he wanted Alyssa to be happy. “But this would be fun”

Alyssa looked at him trying not to smile, she could feel his enthusiasm practically washing over her. She looked down as a smile crept on her face. “Is that a smile?”

“Nope”, Alyssa replied still looking down.

“I think that was a smile. Come on Ali you know you want to do this”

Alyssa looked up at the Doctor who was grinning at her “ok fine let’s go play dodgems with asteroids”, she said pretending to sound rather reluctant. In truth she was rather excited but also worried at the same time.

“Hold on tight!” the Doctor said before starting the engines again. Alyssa clung on to the console as the TARDIS flew through the time vortex. He went to the doors and opened them showing Alyssa the asteroid field.

“You know the odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field is 3,720:1 right?”

“Never tell me the odds Ali”, the Doctor said going back to the console. The woman closed the doors and stood next to him.

“You ready?” he asked

“No”, she replied “but as humans only live once so Allonsy”

The Doctor smiled at her before he started piloting the TARDIS through the asteroid field. It wasn’t long before the blue box was shaking like crazy, Alyssa clinging onto the console while the Doctor ran around it like a mad man. During the flight the Time Lord got out a mallet and started hitting the console, much to Alyssa’s surprise. That was when the TARDIS started to tell her how to help the Doctor pilot. Alyssa ran around with the Doctor following the instructions that were given to her as best as she could. “We’re almost there!” she shouted when she glanced at the scanner and seeing the edge of the asteroid field. “We made it!” she cheered a moment later. Alyssa laughed as the Doctor hugged her, spinning her around.

“Yes we did”, he said setting her down “so did I do a better job?”

“You did only because you had my help”, Alyssa replied. She also mentally thanked the TARDIS for instructing her on how to pilot. She couldn’t have done it without her.

 _You’re welcome sweetie_  

“That’s true”, the Doctor admitted. It was easier to pilot the TARDIS with Alyssa helping him. He guessed that the TARDIS told her how.

“Now that we’ve done that, do you think we could finish the Star Wars marathon?”

“Sure” the Doctor replied and sent the TARDIS into the Time Vortex. While they continued watching the Star Wars movies, Alyssa sat next to the Doctor resting her head on his shoulder. The Time Lord hoped that this meant she properly forgave him for what he did to her.

“I do forgive you”, she said picking up on his feelings “I do forgive you Doctor”. Alyssa did forgive him for what he did, she could only hope he forgave her too. If she hadn’t pushed him…he wouldn’t have done was he did. It was her fault. Alyssa moved her head from his shoulder and moved away.

“Ali whats wrong?”

“It’s my fault. If I hadn’t pushed you, you wouldn’t have done it”, Alyssa stood up “I’m just a stupid human”, she added before walking away. The Doctor got up and went after her.

“You’re not a stupid human. You’re an amazing human”

Alyssa shook her head “no I’m not” she tried to walk away but the Doctor stopped her by taking her hands.

“Ali you are a brilliant human and I forgive you”, the Doctor let go of her hands to cup her face “I forgive you”, he said again softly.

“You do?”

“I do”, the Doctor replied dropping his hands from her face and hugging her. Alyssa closed her eyes, listening to his hearts beating. She could tell by his emotions that he forgave her too.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So Doctor where are we heading to next?” Alyssa asked him the next morning when she came into the console room. They’d spent the rest of yesterday relaxing in the library reading and occasionally talking about different things.

“I have got an idea”

“You wanna share?”

“Nope. It’s going to be a surprise”, the Doctor said pulling a lever causing the ship to jerk and shake. Alyssa gripped the console with a smile on her face. “Ah no looking at the scanner. It’ll ruin the surprise”, the Doctor said stopping her from taking a look when the TARDIS rematerialized. He took her hand and led her out of the box.

“Welcome to the 200th annual sci-tech convention!” the Doctor announced as they entered a large glass building “Companies from all over the world come here to showcase their latest innovations and inventions”.

Alyssa stared around after stepping through the security gate and strapped on her visitor’s bracelet “so what do you want to see first?”

“I honestly have no idea. It all looks so cool! Why don’t you show me around? Be my tour guide, Doctor”, Alyssa said. The Doctor smiled and took the woman’s hand.


	17. Head games

“Ah one of the earliest versions of a vortex manipulator”, the Doctor said stopping by one of the stalls.

“Whats a vortex manipulator?”

“A portable time travelling device. Just enter the right code into the key pad and off you go”, the vendor explained.

“You basically hop through time and space”, the Doctor said clearly unimpressed.

“It’s more complicated than that”, the vendor said.

“Uh why don’t we go see something else Doctor?” Alyssa suggested seeing the vendor get a little upset.

“The TARDIS is way cooler form of transport than that thing”, the Doctor said as they walked away.

“You mean you’ve got a sports car and he has a space hopper?” Alyssa said making the Doctor laugh.

“Yeah that’s a pretty good analogy”

They continued walking around the convention taking a look at different inventions. The Doctor and Alyssa tried an instant hair dying machine which looked like one of those hair dryers from a salon. Alyssa’s hair was dyed black while much the Doctor’s delight he got ginger hair. “I got ginger hair Ali!”

“Yes you’ve said that 6 times already. I don’t understand why that is such a big deal”

“I’ve always wanted to be ginger. 10 regenerations and I’ve never been ginger”

“You don’t get to choose what you look like?”

“It’s more of a lottery”

“Right, you only have a choice on what you wear like the celery”, Alyssa said smiling at the memory.

“What about you with the fez and bow tie?”

“Unlike celery, fezzes and bow ties are cool. Don’t you dare think about insulting the fez or I’ll hijack Sexy and leave you here”, Alyssa warned.

“You wouldn’t dare”

“Then insult the fez and see if I dare”, Alyssa said stopping walking. She looked at the Doctor and folded her arms waiting for him to say something.

“Oh look hover boards”, the Doctor said pointing to something he’d spotted. Alyssa smiled as she followed him over to them. The red head sat down to watch as the Doctor tried it out. She laughed as he showed off

“Go Doctor!” she called which it seemed like he heard as he smiled.

“You liked that?” the Doctor asked when he’d finished.

“I’d think with all that cheering that it was a given”

“Do you want to try?”

Alyssa put her hands up “no thank you Doctor”, she replied “not really my thing”.

The Doctor and Alyssa stopped for lunch where much to the Doctor’s disappointment his hair turned back to brown. “Aw I wanted to stay ginger”

“You looked nice with ginger hair but I prefer the colour it is now”, Alyssa said ruffling it, making it really messy. The Doctor flattened it down while Alyssa tucked into her lunch. Surprisingly the time travellers found some kind of MacDonald’s which was rather tasty and they also had banana milkshakes to the delight of both of them.

When lunch was finished Alyssa and the Doctor continued to explore the sci-tech convention. At one point they’d decided to split up. “Hey pretty lady with the fire hair!” a male voice said as she passed a stall.

“Me?” Alyssa asked turning to the man who ran the stall.

“Yes you. Would you like to take part in a complelety unique experience?”

“What experience?”

“The evolution in gaming where you are in the game”

Alyssa could sense that he was hiding something “could you possibly elaborate?”

“It would be easier if I show you”

Alyssa grew uneasy about that “you know what I think I’ll pass”, she said. The woman turned to go only to find another man standing there.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Madame Kovarian smiled when her associate carried in an unconscious red haired woman “This the one?” 

“According to the bracelet her alpha waves are off the charts, Mam”, the man replied placing the young woman on the chair in the middle of the room.

“Then get her set up Mark”, Kovarian instructed. The red head was the answer to her problems.

Mark nodded strapping the red head’s wrists to the chair before lowering a band around her head. “We’re ready mam”

Madame Kovarian smiled again “then let the games begin”, she said flicking a switch.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ugh my head”, Alyssa groaned opening her eyes and sitting up. _What the heck? I’m in a maze?_ She thought when she finally took in her surroundings. She was sitting in the middle of a cross with hedges stretching out in four directions. She got to her feet “ok I’m in a maze. Right, don’t panic Ali. Just figure out which way it is to get out”

Alyssa started walking straight ahead hoping it wasn’t going to take long to find the exit. She stopped walking when she felt a chill, eerily similar to the one she felt on the night Tanya attacked her. “Hello Alyssa”, she heard the woman say stepping out in front of her.

 “That’s impossible. You’re-you’re…”

“Dead?”

“Very perceptive”

Alyssa took a step back when Tanya approached her. “Oh I’m gonna have so much fun”, the woman said smiling. Alyssa spun around on the spot and ran. “Run little Alyssa! Run!” Tanya called after her. Alyssa sprinted down narrow corridors of hedges turning left, right multiple times. She didn’t know if she was going around in circles but she wasn’t going to stop running. Alyssa rounded a corner and tripped up. She quickly go to her feet and almost fell backwards again when she saw Tanya in front of her. “Night. Night”, she said. Alyssa screamed as the former reporter morphed into the monster she’d seen before and rushed at her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor waited by where he was supposed to meet Alyssa. Minutes went by and the woman still hadn’t shown up. He wasn’t going to panic as she might’ve gotten lost. The Doctor glanced down at the visitor’s bracelet wondering if visitors could be tracked by it. He headed to the counter at the entrance to find out.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Alyssa came to there was someone kneeling next to her. “Hey sleeping beauty”, she said. Alyssa recognised that voice.

“Ellie?” she said sitting up.

“Hi Ali”

“I don’t understand. How are you here? You’re…” Alyssa started

“Dead?  Yes I am”

“Ellie I…I’m sorry. It’s my fault that you’re not here anymore”, she said getting to her feet.

“No it isn’t. You didn’t kill me. Tanya did. Speaking of, she’s closing in. We don’t have much time Ali. You have to get to the center of the maze”

“Whats in the center?”

“The way out”

“How are you here if you’re dead? Am I….”

“No you’re not dead. This whole thing is happening inside your head. Listen they need you to be able to tap into your gifts but you are far stronger than they know” Ellie suddenly stiffened when she heard something.

“Ellie what’s wrong?”

“Ali you need to run. I’ll try to do what I can to slow her down. Remember this is all in your head”

“Ellie! Ellie!” Alyssa called when her best friend ran off. She didn’t want to leave her not again so she went the same direction. “No!” she shouted seeing Tanya destroy her best friend right in front of her.

“Killed her again”, Tanya said changing back into the brunette woman that she used to trust. “Poor little Alyssa all alone”, she taunted. Alyssa said nothing just stared at the spot where Ellie used to be, tears threatening to form. “Aw you gonna cry? I’d rather you scream”, Tanya said slowly approaching her changing into her industria lamia form.

 _She killed Ellie again. She killed Ellie again!_ She thought clenching her fists. Suddenly Tanya was struck by something and flung far away. Alyssa fell to her knees clutching her head. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor went to where the Silurian at the counter had told him Alyssa was. He stopped outside the empty stall but there was no Alyssa. He looked around trying to see if he could spot her. The Doctor went around the stall hoping to find something that could tell him where the missing woman was.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa pushed herself to her feet and continued moving. She froze when she approached another cross roads and she heard a robotic voice to the left. The woman peered around the corner and gasped when she saw a Dalek. She ducked around the hedge as its eye stalk swung around in her direction. Alyssa then saw something straight ahead that made her smile, she saw steps. She took several deep breaths to prepare herself before she ran across the gap to the shouts of exterminate from the Dalek. A shot was fired which narrowly missed the red head. The woman ran and bounded up the marble steps. She didn’t stop until she was around the other side of a large fountain.

“Giant salt shaker stuck by stairs. Ha!” she said to it as it stopped at the base of the steps. Her heart plummeted when the Dalek said

“Elevate!” and lifted up off the ground. Alyssa stared wide eyed as it hovered up over the steps. “You will be exterminated!” it screeched when it reached the top. Before she could run, the Dalek fired at her. The bolt was stopped in mid-air just before it hit Alyssa. It as it trembled in front of her as she stared at it, her fists tightly clenched. Alyssa’s pupils dilated and the bolt was sent back at the Dalek destroying it. She cried out in pain that she got in her head and sank to the floor.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor stared at the visitor’s bracelet in his hand. There would’ve been no reason for Alyssa to take it off. Unless someone took it off her. That was the Doctor’s only lead, he didn’t know how he could find her now. The Doctor stepped out from behind the stall and that’s when he saw it. Something by a door next to the stall. His hearts clenched when he saw it, it was Alyssa’s charm bracelet. The Doctor had noticed that since he met her it had always been on her wrist. He picked it up and pocketed it. The door it was in front of was locked by a keypad. The Doctor got out his sonic and got to work.


	18. Head games part 2

“Come on Ali you need to get up”

“Gran?” Alyssa asked looking up.

“Hello dear”, Elizabeth said smiling at her granddaughter.

“My head hurts”, Alyssa whimpered. Her head felt like it was going to explode after pushing Tanya away and destroying that Dalek.

“I know Ali”, Elizabeth said hugging her. “You have to be strong ok?”

“Ok Gran. I’ll try”, Alyssa said getting up.

“You know where you need to go?”

“Ellie said I need to get to the center to get out but I don’t know which way that is. I could be going in circles!”

“There is a way to get there without running into too many of those awful things”

“How?”

“Listen”

“Listen for what?”

“You’ll know it when you hear it. Close your eyes”

Alyssa did so “Gran I’m sorry but I don’t hear anything”, she said opening her eyes. “Gran?” she said seeing that the elderly woman wasn’t there. “Listen. What the heck am I supposed to listen for?”

Alyssa continued walking around the maze getting really sick of being surrounded by oversized hedges, she just wanted to get to the center. She paused when she heard faint singing. _Maybe that’s what my gran meant by listen_ Alyssa thought quickly following it. She stopped when she saw a woman standing under a stone arch. “Hello sweetie”, she said smiling.

“Who are you? What was that singing?” Alyssa asked approaching her. 

“I go by a few names. Auntie and Uncle call me Idris; my thief calls me mad bitey lady or he will call me that. Gosh I can never get time lines straight in my head…”

“Look I don’t mean to be rude but I need to get to the centre of this damn maze. Who are you to me?”

“You once called me the sexiest blue box in the universe”

Alyssa’s eyes widened when she recognised what the woman just said “You’re Sexy”

“Yep. Look I’d love to chat but we don’t have much time. We need to get you to the center of this maze”, Sexy said. She looked at her surroundings “why a maze?”

“What?”

“Why a maze Ali?”

“I don’t know I thought you said we didn’t have much time?”

“Right. Sorry I got distracted”, Sexy apologised. She took Alyssa’s hand “let’s go. Geronimo”

“Geronimo?” Alyssa asked as Sexy started to lead her straight ahead.

“Isn’t that what the Doctor often says?”

“No. it’s normally Allonsy”

“Ah. Oops that was a bit of a spoiler. Sorry”

“Uh that’s ok I suppose”

They stopped at a junction. “Which way now?”  Alyssa asked. Sexy was about to say reply when she spotted something behind the red head.

“What?” Alyssa asked glancing behind her. “Tanya”, she whispered seeing the smirking woman approach them.

“Run!” Sexy shouted grabbing her hand again. The two woman sprinted around corners hand in hand.

“Wrong way!” Alyssa shouted when they almost collided with a Dalek. They ran to the shouts and shots being fired from the metal machine. “Wait why are we stopping?” she asked.

“Because we’re near the center”, Sexy replied.

“Great let’s go”

“You have to do this on your own”, Sexy said before putting her hands on Alyssa’s temples. The young woman gasped at the images the flooded her mind.

“What was that?”

“Directions. Just follow them and you’ll get to the centre. Now run Ali”

“But…”

“We’ll talk again soon. Now run, you clever girl”

Alyssa did what Sexy said and started running, following the directions in her head. “You’ve got to be kidding me”, she said seeing what was sitting on a stone pedestal in front of her. It was the Triwizard cup. _Can this get any more Harry Potter?_ She thought slowly approaching it. “I really hope I don’t end up in a graveyard with you-know-who”, she murmured. Before she could touch it someone called her name.

“Doctor?” the woman said surprised to see him. He ran over to her and hugged her.

“Wait Doctor what are you…?” Alyssa was cut off when he kissed her. “Why did you do that?” she asked stepping back forgetting that she was in the middle of a maze.

“Can’t I kiss my girl?”

“Your girl? I-I am with Ben. You know that”, Alyssa stammered also forgetting that this was just in her head and not completely real. The Doctor was about to say something when he saw something behind Alyssa. He quickly pushed her out of the way before being shot by a Dalek.

“No!” Alyssa exclaimed as he fell to the ground. She went over to where lay “no. no. no”, she said tears once again forming.

“The Doctor is deceased!” the Dalek said sounding smug or as smug as that species could. Alyssa looked up and saw that she and the Doctor where slowly being surrounded by Daleks and Tanya. Her heart shattered even more when she also saw the bodies of Sexy, Ellie, Elizabeth even her mother Sarah lying on the ground around her dead.

“This isn’t real. This is just in my head”, Alyssa said tears starting to run down her face.

“Aw poor little Alyssa. All alone. No family, No friends and No Doctor”, Tanya taunted. Alyssa looked at the Doctor whom she was kneeling beside. She bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing.

“You think killing the people I love is going to break me? Then you’re wrong Tanya. This isn’t real, this is all happening inside my head”

“Is this supposed to scare me Alyssa?”

“Yes. You want to know why? Because I’m not afraid of you”, Alyssa replied. “I’m not afraid of any of you!” she said pointing at each of the Daleks in front of her, green eyes blazing. “This is in my head. This is some twisted head game and it stops right now!” she shouted, her head starting to pound once more. “Do you hear me? It ends NOW!” Alyssa shouted. She could feel something building up inside of herself.

“What are you going to?” Tanya asked trying to acting like she wasn’t unnerved by Alyssa but she was.

“This”, Alyssa said releasing the energy. The resulting shockwave hit the Daleks, Tanya and the Triwizard destroying all of them.


	19. Different

It was a very long and trying week for the Doctor while he was waiting for Alyssa to wake up. The first two days he sat vigil by Alyssa’s beside in the med bay hardly eating. As he was a Time Lord, he didn’t require sleep as often a humans do. Day 3 was spent connecting with Alyssa’s mind attempting to wake her that way. Unfortunately it proved to be very difficult as her mind was fighting him so the Doctor decided to stop. On the fourth day, the Doctor decided to fix her bracelet as something to do to keep his mind occupied and to keep himself awake. He desperately needed to get some sleep but he didn’t want to not until Alyssa was awake and on the mend.

However, on the fifth day the Doctor decided to take a very short rest as Alyssa’s condition hadn’t changed. He was woken when an alarm went off. The Doctor ran into the med bay to find that she’d stopped breathing. “no. no. no! Don’t you dare do this to me Ali!” the Doctor shouted grabbing the defibrillator. He shakily sat down in the chair after the machine monitoring her vitals started beeping steadily. “Come on Ali. You have to wake up”

By the sixth day the Doctor was on the verge of losing it. He stayed by her bedside holding her hand pleading for her for her to wake up. Then on day seven something changed. The Doctor had closed his eyes briefly, still holding Alyssa’s hand. “You look terrible”, he heard Alyssa croak. The Doctor opened his eyes to see her looking back at him.

“Ali”, he said relieved to see that she was conscious.

“Can I have a water?”

“Yes. Of course”, the Doctor said getting up. He quickly ran to the kitchen and got a glass of water. “Take small sips”, he instructed after helping her sit up. Alyssa did what he said, coughing a little when she drank too fast.

“Thank you”, Alyssa said “how long was I out?”

“A week”

“A week? No wonder I’m so hungry”

“I’ll make you something in a minute. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit with a truck and my brain feels like it’s going to explode but a part from that peachy”, Alyssa replied. “Have you slept?” she asked noting the dark circles under his eyes and his extremely messy hair.

“A little”

“Now why don’t I believe you?”

“Time Lords don’t require that much sleep, just a few hours every couple of days”

“That may be the case but you look like you haven’t slept in a week”, Alyssa said “you haven’t have you?”

“I didn’t want to not until you’re awake”

“Well now I am, go get some rest and not in that chair”

“I don’t want to leave you alone in case something happens”

“I’m sure Sexy will tell…” Alyssa trailed off when she saw the pained expression on his face “what? What wrong?”

“I went to have a rest before and I…I almost lost you because I wasn’t in the room”

“Come here”, Alyssa said moving over in the bed “you don’t want to leave me alone and I don’t want you to sleep in that chair. So you might as well rest here”, she added patting the empty space. “Doctor you look like you’re about to fall down. Just get over here spaceman”, Alyssa said. She didn’t want to have to worry about anything for at least a few hours. The Doctor decided that it was best to do what she suggested because Alyssa would probably get out of bed and potentially hurt herself. He took off his converse, went over to the bed and laid down next to Alyssa. “You can relax, I’m not going to break”

“I not want to hurt you”

“You won’t”, Alyssa said shifting so that she was now laying down resting her head on his chest. She could hear his hearts but she could also feel that he was rather tense. Alyssa closed her eyes and began to sing the lullaby that she’d sing to her neighbour’s child when she would try to get him to sleep.

_A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain_

_Softly blows o'er Lullaby Bay_

_It fills the sails of boats that are waiting_

_Waiting to sail your worries away_

The Doctor listened to her sing and he relaxed. _Maybe I could rest for an hour or two_ he thought closing his eyes.

_It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain_

_And your boat waits down by the quay_

_The winds of night so softly are sighing_

_Soon they will fly your troubles…_

The song trailed off as Alyssa too dozed off.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later the Doctor woke. As Alyssa was still asleep with her head still on his chest, he didn’t move as he didn’t want to wake her. The Doctor looked at the woman, feeling guilty about splitting up. If he hadn’t none of this would’ve happened. He had no idea what had been done to Alyssa but he was going to do whatever he could to help her. She stirred about an hour later.

“Had a nice sleep?” Alyssa asked looking up at him.

“I did need it”, he admitted.

“Told you”, Alyssa said sitting up to allow the Time Lord to move.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Bit better. My head doesn’t hurt so much but I am still starving”

“Right lets rectify that”, the Doctor said pulling on his converse before scooping up Alyssa and carrying her to the kitchen. He set her down by the kitchen table and turned to the counter to make Alyssa some food. “Have as much as you can”, the Doctor said setting down a bowl of porridge and a mug of tea.

Alyssa slowly started to eat the porridge. After a few mouthfuls she pushed to bowl away. “Sorry I am hungry but I think I’m gonna be sick if I have another mouthful”, she said apologising.

“That’s ok”, the Doctor said understanding.

“Do you mind if I go have a shower? I’ll feel a lot less like a zombie”

“You don’t look like a zombie”

Alyssa smiled sensing that he was trying to make her feel better. “Thanks but I know I must look like a mess”, she said. She got up from her seat and her legs gave out due to lack of use. The Doctor picked her up and carried her to her room. When he reached the bedroom door, it swung open. “Ok you can set me down now”, Alyssa said as the Doctor carried her inside. He did so and she clung onto his arm while she found her footing. “Right now I’m gonna have a shower, alone. If I need anything I’ll give you a shout”, she said letting go of him.

“Ok”, the Doctor said reluctantly leaving the room. Alyssa made her way to the ensuite bathroom and got into the shower. She stood in the shower letting the water run down over her.  It took her a long time almost falling over several times on the slippery shower floor. Alyssa dried herself off and changed into a loose t-shirt and jeans. She froze when she felt a chill, the same one she felt in that head game before Tanya appeared. Alyssa slowly turned and gasped when she saw the woman standing there smirking.

“You can’t be here”

“Yet I am”

Alyssa backed away “stay back!” she shouted as Tanya came towards her. “I said stay back!” she shouted again. This time objects in the bathroom started to shake. When this happened, the Doctor was alerted by the TARDIS. The Time Lord raced to her bedroom where he could hear bangs and crashes from the bathroom. “Ali! Ali open the door!” the Doctor shouted trying the door but it was locked.

“Go away!”

“Ali please!”

There was silence. Then the door was slowly opened by a very shaken Alyssa. The Doctor noticed the mess behind her. Alyssa left the bathroom staring at the Doctor with wide eyes. She walked slowly over to him but part way there she stumbled. The Doctor caught the young woman and sank down onto the floor with her. Alyssa clung onto him trembling. “There’s something very wrong with me”, she whispered.


	20. Explanation

 “I should probably clean that mess up”, Alyssa said trying to get up but the Doctor stopped her.

“No I’ll do it later. What happened in there?”

“I um was getting dressed and I felt this chill. The same one I… when I turned around Tanya was there. Smirking at me. I freaked out, things started to shake then it all went crazy. I couldn’t stop it. i-I wanted to but I couldn’t. I wanted it to stop!” the Doctor noticed the lamp start to shake.

“Ali you need to take a breath and calm down”, he said but the shaking was getting worse. “Ali please calm down”, he said to the woman who had her eyes shut, still clinging tightly onto him. Then the shaking stopped and Alyssa relaxed.

“Thanks Sexy”, she murmured opening her eyes. Alyssa let go of the Doctor and moved away. “Sorry Doctor”, she apologised.

“You don’t need to apologise Ali. You’ve been through a lot”

“I know. I want to tell you what happened at the convention”, Alyssa said.

“Ali you don’t have to if you’re not ready”

“Doctor I want to. You stayed awake for a week for me because of what happened. You deserve to know”, Alyssa said. She got up to sat on the edge of the bed and the Doctor joined her. “Shortly after we split up, I passed this guy who got my attention”

_~flashback~_

_Hey pretty lady with the fire hair!” a male voice said as she passed a stall._

_“Me?” Alyssa asked turning to the man who ran the stall._

_“Yes you. Would you like to take part in a complelety unique experience?”_

_“What experience?”_

_“The evolution in gaming where you are in the game”_

_Alyssa could sense that he was hiding something “could you possibly elaborate?”_

_“It would be easier if I show you”_

_Alyssa grew uneasy about that “you know what I think I’ll pass”, she said. The woman turned to go only to find another man standing there._

~end~

“The next thing I knew I was in a maze. I walked for a bit then I got this chill the same one I got in the bathroom. When I turned around Tanya was standing there. I ran trying to get away from her then she suddenly appears in front of me. Before I could do anything she changed into her monster form and…”

“And?”

“She killed me”, Alyssa replied quietly. She took several breaths before she continued “when I came to Ellie was there…”

_~flashback~_

_“Ellie?” she said sitting up._

_“Hi Ali”_

_“I don’t understand. How are you here? You’re…” Alyssa started_

_“Dead?  Yes I am”_

_“Ellie I…I’m sorry. It’s my fault that you’re not here anymore”, she said getting to her feet._

_“No it isn’t. You didn’t kill me. Tanya did. Speaking of, she’s closing in. We don’t have much time Ali. You have to get to the center of the maze”_

_“Whats in the center?”_

_“The way out”_

_“How are you here if you’re dead? Am I….”_

_“No you’re not dead. This whole thing is happening inside your head. Listen they need you to be able to tap into your gifts but you are far stronger than they know” Ellie suddenly stiffened when she heard something._

_“Ellie what’s wrong?”_

_“Ali you need to run. I’ll try to do what I can to slow her down. Remember this is all in your head”_

_“Ellie! Ellie!” Alyssa called when her best friend ran off. She didn’t want to leave her not again so she went the same direction. “No!” she shouted seeing Tanya destroy her best friend right in front of her._

_“Killed her again”, Tanya said changing back into the brunette woman that she used to trust. “Poor little Alyssa all alone”, she taunted. Alyssa said nothing just stared at the spot where Ellie used to be, tears threatening to form. “Aw you gonna cry? I’d rather you scream”, Tanya said slowly approaching her changing into her industria lamia form._

_She killed Ellie again. She killed Ellie again! She thought clenching her fists. Suddenly Tanya was struck by something and flung far away. Alyssa fell to her knees clutching her head._

_~end~_

“You pushed Tanya away”

“Yeah I did. My head definitely hurt after that”

“What happened after?”

“I ran as fast as I could to get away from her. I almost ran into a Dalek doing so”

_~flashback~_

_Alyssa pushed herself to her feet and continued moving. She froze when she approached another cross roads and she heard a robotic voice to the left. The woman peered around the corner and gasped when she saw a Dalek. She ducked around the hedge as its eye stalk swung around in her direction. Alyssa then saw something straight ahead that made her smile, she saw steps. She took several deep breaths to prepare herself before she ran across the gap to the shouts of exterminate from the Dalek. A shot was fired which narrowly missed the red head. The woman ran and bounded up the marble steps. She didn’t stop until she was around the other side of a large fountain._

_“Giant salt shaker stuck by stairs. Ha!” she said to it as it stopped at the base of the steps. Her heart plummeted when the Dalek said_

_“Elevate!” and lifted up off the ground. Alyssa stared wide eyed as it hovered up over the steps. “You will be exterminated!” it screeched when it reached the top. Before she could run, the Dalek fired at her. The bolt was stopped in mid-air just before it hit Alyssa. It as it trembled in front of her as she stared at it, her fists tightly clenched. Alyssa’s pupils dilated and the bolt was sent back at the Dalek destroying it. She cried out in pain that she got in her head and sank to the floor._

_~end~_

“After those two my head was killing me. At that point I just wanted to curl up and cry. I didn’t want to keep going”, Alyssa said voice trembling. The Doctor took her hand.

“You don’t have to keep going if you don’t want to”, he said knowing that it was hard for her to talk about it.

“I have to Doctor”, Alyssa said firmly. She didn’t want to fall apart “even though I didn’t want to continue on someone came. Probably the only person who could make me keep going”

“Who?”

“Granma Elizabeth. She told me that there was a way to get to the centre without running into any more Daleks or Tanya”

“What was the way?”

“Gran told me to listen. Just listen”

“Listen for what?”

“I didn’t know what my Gran was asking me to listen for and then I heard it”, Alyssa said closing her eyes.

“What did you hear?”

“A song. A beautiful and sad at the same time. It made me feel safe somehow”, she replied replaying it in her head. It was the same song that Sexy used to calm her down. Alyssa opened her eyes and looked at the Doctor “I followed it to a woman. I didn’t recognise her but she said that she was the TARDIS”, she said.

“The TARDIS? She’s a box not a woman”

“I know. However, she does talk to me and now that I think about it that woman did sound a lot like Sexy when she talks to me. I mean she talks to me in my head already so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for her to create an interface that I can interact with”, Alyssa reasoned.

“It’s possible. This did happen in your head. What did she say?”

“She didn’t really say much just grabbed my hand and we ran. Nearly ran into a Dalek on the way to the centre but I got there”

“What happened to Sexy?”

“I don’t know. She just told me that I had to get to the centre on my own. When I got to the centre I found something that would’ve probably got me out but then you appeared”

“I was there?”

Alyssa nodded “yeah. You were happy that I was ok. You hugged me”, she said absentmindedly raising a hand to her lips.

“What happened next?” the Doctor asked. “Ali?” he asked seeing she was deep in thought.

“Hm?”

“What happened next?”

“You saw something behind me and pushed me out of the way. Then you were shot. By a Dalek”

_~flashback~_

_“No!” Alyssa exclaimed as he fell to the ground. She went over to where lay “no. no. no”, she said tears once again forming._

_“The Doctor is deceased!” the Dalek said sounding smug or as smug as that species could. Alyssa looked up and saw that she and the Doctor where slowly being surrounded by Daleks and Tanya. Her heart shattered even more when she also saw the bodies of Sexy, Ellie, Elizabeth even her mother Sarah lying on the ground around her dead._

_“This isn’t real. This is just in my head”, Alyssa said tears starting to run down her face._

_“Aw poor little Alyssa. All alone. No family, No friends and No Doctor”, Tanya taunted. Alyssa looked at the Doctor whom she was kneeling beside. She bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing._

_“You think killing the people I love is going to break me? Then you’re wrong Tanya. This isn’t real, this is all happening inside my head”_

_“Is this supposed to scare me Alyssa?”_

_“Yes. You want to know why? Because I’m not afraid of you”, Alyssa replied. “I’m not afraid of any of you!” she said pointing at each of the Daleks in front of her, green eyes blazing. “This is in my head. This is some twisted head game and it stops right now!” she shouted, her head starting to pound once more. “Do you hear me? It ends NOW!” Alyssa shouted. She could feel something building up inside of herself._

_“What are you going to?” Tanya asked trying to acting like she wasn’t unnerved by Alyssa but she was._

_“This”, Alyssa said releasing the energy. The resulting shockwave hit the Daleks, Tanya and the Triwizard destroying all of them._

_~end~_

 “I’m scared Doctor”, Alyssa said tears running down her face. She could handle her empath abilities but these new ones frightened her.

“I know you are”, the Doctor said wiping away her tears. “But I promise you, I’m going to figure this out. You don’t have to face this alone”, he said taking her hand and rubbing his thumb in circles on the back of her hand.

“Thank you”


	21. Tai Chi

Alyssa stood staring at the cushion in front of her trying to move it just a little. _Come on. Move!_ She thought clenching her fists. The woman sighed when it didn’t budge. “It’s not working”, she said turning to the Doctor.

“Keep trying”

“I’ve been staring at this for an hour. If it’s not going to move now, it never will”, Alyssa said discouraged.

“Ali I know it’s been hard for you and I know that you’re afraid…”

“Afraid? I am not afraid. I am terrified! I practically wrecked my own bathroom because I freaked out and I almost skewer you with a knife yesterday”, Alyssa said her anger rising. Behind her the cushion did the same. “You have got no idea what I’m going through. You think that by reading dozens books on psychic powers that you’re suddenly an expert? Because Doctor you are not. You really are not!” she shouted. Alyssa stormed out of the room, the cushion landed on the floor with a thud. The Doctor just stood there in the wake of her anger. He honestly didn’t know what to do. Yesterday Alyssa was eager to figure out how her gifts worked and then the incident with the knife happened. It seemed to make Alyssa more afraid of trying to control her gifts.

The said young woman made a beeline to the library where she went to the section where she knew the books on psychics. Alyssa gripped the books and yanked them out of the shelves, tossing them as hard as she could. She sat down on the library floor surrounded by her mess. “I’m sorry Sexy. I shouldn’t have done that”, she said apologising.

_That’s ok sweetie. You’re upset_

“I know but still I shouldn’t have snapped at the Doctor, he only meant well. But after what happened with the knife, I’m scared that I really will hurt him”

_He knows you’re scared Alyssa. He just trying to help you, the Doctor cares about you_

“I care about him too. Help me Sexy, please”, Alyssa pleaded. She got up and followed the TARDIS’s directions to a shelf. A book shot out and landed in her hands. “Introduction to Tai chi? You think this will help?”

_Defiantly. Try it out Alyssa_

“Well if you think it’ll help me then I’m game. I take it you have somewhere appropriate I could do this?”

_Of course. Go get changed and I’ll tell you were to go._

“Ok. Thanks Sexy”, Alyssa said. She tidied up her mess before going to her room. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa stared around at the room the TARDIS directed her to when she entered. “I love it Sexy”, she said. The room looked like a traditional Chinese garden complete with pond. Alyssa took her shoes off and stepped onto the mat. As soon as she did a blonde haired woman appeared. “Hello Alyssa. I’m Jenna you’re Tai Chi instructor. Are you ready to begin?” she asked with a smile.

 “Definitely”, Alyssa replied. “Thank you Sexy”, she whispered.

_You’re welcome Ali_

The young woman copied the instructor through the beginner’s moves. She did find the slow moving technique rather relaxing. As she was doing one particular move, Alyssa noticed leaves and flower petals close to her were floating. The young woman smiled and turned her focus back to the Tai Chi.

“Thank you Jenna”, Alyssa said when the session was over. The woman nodded and vanished. “Hey um Sexy could you ask the Doctor to come here? I need to apologise”

_Sure thing_

“The TARDIS told me to come here. You ok?” the Doctor said when he finally turned up.

“I’m fine. Sorry for the way I acted towards you. You didn’t deserve that”

“It ok…”

“No its not! You’re kind, sweet and very caring. You’ve stuck with me these past few days even after I yelled at you and almost hurt you. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course Ali. Can you forgive me?”

“For what? You didn’t do anything”

“I pushed you to figure out how to use your gifts”

“No you didn’t”, Alyssa said. “Listen to me, I asked you here so I could apologise not to argue. So I’m sorry. Again”

“Apology accepted. This is a nice room”, the Doctor said looking around.

“It is. I haven’t fully explored it, I’ve been busy. Speaking of, there is something I need to show you”, Alyssa said. She led him to the mat and stood on it. “Just watch the leaves and flower petals”, she said gesturing to them. Alyssa started the Tai Chi and the leaves and flower petals began to lift up. “I still have got a long way to go in terms of controlling my gift but I think this will definitely help”, she said.

“It does look effective. I take it the TARDIS gave you that idea?”

“She certainly did”, Alyssa replied. “Um Doctor are we still staying in the TARDIS?”

“I was planning to for a few more days. Why?”

“Well I kind of have a request. It’s not an adventure but it is something I need to do”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is really weird. I’ve been with you for… how long?”

The Doctor thought about it “probably a couple of weeks”, he guessed. It was difficult to keep track in the TARDIS when there is no day or night in the ship.

“And I’m back a few hours after I left”, Alyssa said walking through the grave yard.

“Best thing about time travel. You could travel around the universe or to a different time period and still get home in time for dinner”, the Doctor said walking with her. Alyssa eventually stopped walking and turned to the Doctor

“Remember when I explained what happened at the convention and I said my Gran was there? Well…” Alyssa wandered over to a grave stone “Doctor meet my Gran, Elizabeth Sladen”

“How did she die?”

“Cancer. She was a fighter, my gran. The doctor’s gave her 18 months and she lived 2 years”, Alyssa replied placing the flowers in front of the stone. The Doctor moved away to give her some privacy. He leant against a tree and watched her talk to the stone.

“Hey Gran. Sorry it’s been a while but I’ve been busy. It’s a little complicated to explain and you probably won’t believe me. What I can tell you is that I met this guy” Alyssa shook her head “no gran he isn’t my boyfriend. The Doctor is….” Alyssa paused as if her gran spoke “yes his name is the Doctor. His name maybe strange and sometimes he’s a little strange too but sweet, kind and very caring. The Doctor has been my rock throughout these past few days. He’s the best friend a girl could have. Well that’s about it Gran. I love you, always”, Alyssa said kissing her hand and then placing it on top of the grave. Afterwards she re-joined the Doctor at the tree. “Thanks for letting me do that”

“No need to thank me Ali. Although would you mind if I go talk to her?”

“Not at all”

Alyssa stood back as he walked over to the grave. “Hello Elizabeth. I’m the Doctor, Ali’s friend. You’ve got a remarkable granddaughter Elizabeth because I may call myself Doctor but honestly Alyssa is the true healer. She’s been slowly putting me back together after the loss of a very good friend of mine”, the Doctor said. He glanced back at the woman “I’m thankful to have met her. My life is exciting and occasionally dangerous. I’ll do my upmost to keep Ali safe, you have my word”, the Doctor vowed.

“Thank you for doing that Doctor”, Alyssa said when he came back.

“Well I wanted to thank the woman who helped you through that head game”

“Still thank you. Ben would never….”

“He wouldn’t what?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s get back to the TARDIS”, Alyssa said quickly walking back to the blue box.

“Right where do you want to go next? We could go ice skating on the permanent frozen lakes of Celaeno”, the Doctor asked Alyssa but she looked a little distracted.

“Uh yeah”

“Or we could go to Tatooine and watch the pod races?” the Doctor asked knowing that Alyssa was a fan of Star Wars.

“Sounds good”, Alyssa replied again unenthusiastically.

“Nah they sound a bit boring. Maybe we could go see if we could find a planet of Fezzes with banana groves”

“Whatever you say Doctor”

Now he knew something was wrong as he figured Alyssa would’ve at least smiled at that suggestion. “Whats wrong Ali?”

“Nothing”

“Ali I know something’s bothering you. What is it?”

Alyssa sat down in the captain’s chair “I miss my mum. It’s only been a few hours for her but for me it’s been two weeks”

“I can take you home if you want”

“You don’t mind?”

“You’re homesick, I can understand that”, the Doctor said pressing buttons before pulling a lever to dematerialize the box. “There you go. Home is just outside”, he said after the box stopped shaking.

“It’ll only be for a few days”

“Take as much time as you want. In fact give me your phone”

Alyssa handed it over and the Doctor used his sonic on it “universal roaming. You can call from anywhere in time and space as long as you know the area code”, he said handing it back.

“That’ll definitely come in handy”, Alyssa commented.

“Oh and you’ll need this”, the Doctor said giving her a key.

“A key?”

“It’s a TARDIS key. Call it a frequent flyer privilege. It was about time you got one”

“Thanks. If I call you, you better come”

“I promise. Besides who else am I going to ramble to or impress with my brilliance?”

Alyssa rolled her eyes “well there’s always your ego you could talk to”, she suggested with a smile. The woman hugged him “do me a favour while you’re waiting for me to call don’t mope around. Go explore, save planets be brilliant. That’s an order”, she said firmly moving back.

“Yes mam”, the Doctor said giving her a mock salute. Alyssa swatted his arm and shook her head.

“Thank you again for everything”, she said kissing his cheek. The Doctor watched her walk down the ramp. She paused at the door and turned back.

“Remember this isn’t goodbye, just see you later”, she said before opening the door and leaving.

“See you later Ali”, the Doctor said. He didn’t want her to go but understood that she missed her family and wanted to see them. “Don’t worry she’ll be back”, he said assuring the TARDIS but honestly he was trying to reassure himself.


	22. A break from travelling

~Monday~

Alyssa woke on Monday morning in her room. It felt weird that it was super quiet as she was used to rhythmic hum of the TARDIS. She got up, checking her calendar that hung on the wall. Today was the 3rd of March. She smiled at the circled 17th March. _Only two weeks today for my holiday!_ She thought excited. Alyssa hopped into the shower and changed into some clean clothes.

“Morning mama”

“Morning kiddo”, Sarah said pouring out a mug of tea and handing it to her. “Are you heading to work today?”

“Yep”

“You sure you want to go in today? Ellie’s funeral was only yesterday”, Sarah said. She didn’t want to force her to go to work if she wasn’t ready to. Ellie was Alyssa’s best friend after all.

“I’m sure mum. Its’ going to be hard but I can’t mope around the house. Ellie wouldn’t want me to”, Alyssa said. She and her mother had their breakfast “I’ll see you later. Love you”, she said kissing her mother’s cheek.

“Love you too honey”

“Morning Greg, Becky”, Alyssa said entering the Coffeehouse. 

“Morning Ali”, Becky said looking up from where she was laying out cutlery and wiping down tables.

“Hey Ali. How are you doing with everything?” Greg asked from his spot by the register.

“As well as can be”, Alyssa replied going into the back to put her bag away and put on her apron. She then took her place behind the counter ready for the first customers of the day. When she got home after finishing work Alyssa went online and purchased some Tai Chi work out DVD’s so that she could do the exercises at home which would help with controlling her gifts. 

~Tuesday~

The next day was a little more difficult for Alyssa as it the day that Ellie would’ve have been working with her. “Hey Becky what are you doing here?” she asked when she came in.

“I’m working Ellie’s shift. I persuaded our boss to let me as I knew it would be hard for all of us to see a complete stranger taking over”

“They’re looking for a replacement already?”

“Yeah. Sorry Ali”

“That’s ok. I understand it has to be done”, Alyssa said glancing at the photo of her friend that sat on back near the machine.

“We all miss her Ali”, Steve said noticing her look at the photo.

Later…

Alyssa was jerked awake when her bedroom door burst open. “Stop everything!” the man shouted. Alyssa sat up and stared at him unsure if this was some weird dream as the man was wearing a tweed jacket and bow tie just like the ones she wore when she dressed up. “No one on this planet is safe right now. We have to solve this before it's too late. Get dressed. If we move fast we at least stand a chance….” The man trailed off when Alyssa just stared at him like she had no clue what he was talking about “…and you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?”

Alyssa shook her head “nope sorry”, she said.

“What year is this?”

“2008”, Alyssa replied confused as to why the man was asking that.

“Right. Way too early. Helmic regulator’s gone wrong again”, he said muttering the last part to himself. Alyssa heard this and raised a brow.

“Who exactly are you?”

“No one. No one important. Forget I was here. Just go back to sleep Ali”, the man leaving the room and closing the door. Alyssa laid back down and was about to try to fall asleep when she realised what he’d just said. The woman got out bed and dashed down the stairs. When she reached the hall she could hear a noise out in the garden it sounded like the TARDIS. _It can’t be_ she thought rushing to the back door and pulling it open. Alyssa looked out at her back garden seeing that there was no blue box sitting there. She shut the back door _must’ve imagined it_ she thought going back upstairs. She fell back into bed, pulled the covers over herself and dozed off not thinking anymore about the strange man.

~Wednesday~

“What can I get you?” Alyssa asked while she was wiping down the machine.

“Medium earl grey tea please Ali”

Alyssa turned and was surprised to see Donna standing there. “Donna?”

“The one and only”

“Well it’s good to see you again. Do you want a mug or to-go cup?”

“To-go cup. I’m heading to a new job”

“Oh really? What are you doing now?” Alyssa asked turning around to make her drink.

“Just temping. Again”, Donna replied. Alyssa turned back with her drink and handed it to Donna “thanks”, the other red head said “do you wanna catch up later? I want to know what you and you know who has been up to”

“I’d like that. I’ve got a lunch break at 12 for an hour. There’s a little park nearby if you want to meet up there?”

“Sounds great. I’ll see you then”, Donna said. She went to the register, paid for her drink and left. When 12 pm came around Alyssa grabbed her lunch and walked to the park. “So how come you’re no longer travelling with the Doctor?” Donna asked.

“I’m taking a short break. I got a little homesick, he understands”, Alyssa replied. “How are you doing? Seeing anyone else lately?”

“Nope. I’ve sworn off of men at the moment. What about you? Still with Ben?”

“Yes. We’re going on holiday in a couple of weeks. I’m really excited about it”

“Where are you going?”

“We’re going to different parts of Europe”

“You know, you and the Doctor really opened my eyes to the world around me. I think I might go travelling too”

“Well if I go somewhere in Europe I think you might like I’ll let you know”

“Thanks Ali”

They continued chatting for a little longer until they both had to go back to work “see you around super temp”, Alyssa said hugging her.

“Yeah see you Ali”

When she got back from work, Alyssa found the work out DVD’s had been delivered. The woman got dressed into suitable clothes and started the workout in the living room, once she’d moved the fragile items out of the way. She went through the exercises enjoying herself. Alyssa noticed out of the corner of her eye that cushions she put out of the way start to move. _Ok let’s try something_ she thought. She focused on the cushions as they started to rise, she wanted to see if she could keep them in one place. It worked for a bit but when Alyssa lost focus for a second as a new exercise started she was assaulted by the cushions. “Stop!” she shouted after being swatted over the head and smacked in the sides several times by the squashy assailants. The cushions froze in mid strike and dropped one by one to the floor. Alyssa sat down on the carpet rubbing her head “Ow”, she groaned.

~Thursday~

Work on Thursday went by without too many issues. Alyssa did the Tai Chi exercises when she came back home. This time she was able to move just one cushion instead of all of them even if she did get a really bad head ache from it. _I’m getting better_ she thought laying back in bed that evening. “I wonder what the Doctor is up to”, she said fiddling with the TARDIS key which now hung on a silver chain.

~Friday~

“Now are you sure you’re going to be ok?” Sarah asked for the 5th time that morning as she made sure she had everything in her bags.

“Yes mum. Stop worrying I’m a big girl and you need to get to the airport”, Alyssa said. Sarah had a very important overseas conference in the US that was going to last a week.

“I can’t help worrying about you. You’re my baby girl”, Sarah said hugging her.

“Mum!” Alyssa protested but she didn’t wriggle away. “Call me when you land ok?” she said carrying her mother’s bag to the car.

“I will sweetheart. Love you”

“Love you more”, Alyssa said smiling. She watched her mother drive off before going back into the house. The young woman started on practicing with her abilities. She smiled through her head ache when she managed to do something a little more complicated than levitating cushions. Because of this Alyssa decided to make a video to show the Doctor.  She did so after she’d had some food and gotten rid of her headache.

“Ok I have no idea if you’re watching this Doctor but if you are then I just want to say that I’ve managed to gain some control over my gifts. To show you how far I’ve come, I have made this video”, Alyssa said before setting the phone down to view the table. She moved around to the other end where four plastic plates sat. She took a deep breath and held a hand over one of the plates. It lifted up so that it stood upright. Alyssa span it and then lifted the plate so it was spinning in mid-air. She lowered it back to the table. Alyssa arranged the plates in a square and held both hands over them. The plates levitated off a few inches off the table. Alyssa moved her hands over them making them move too. After a short demonstration, she lowered the plates back onto the table.

“Well there you go Doctor. Bit more control but…” Alyssa winced at the headache “I really wish my head didn’t hurt every time I used my gifts”, she said going over to the phone. “That’s it from me. I know it’s been a week since you dropped me off and to be honest I am missing you. My mum’s away for the next week if you wanna swing by. Say hi to Sexy for me”, Alyssa said stopping the recording. _Now how do I send it to him?_ She thought looking at her phone. She flicked through the contacts and smiled when she saw a little TARDIS icon. Alyssa clicked on it, typed a message attaching the video to it and then sent it off. She hoped he’d receive it before the end of next week.

Later…

“Hey babe”, Ben said when Alyssa opened the door.

“Hey Ben”, she said with a smile and stepped aside to allow her boyfriend inside.

“I come baring gifts”, he said holding up a bag of takeaway in one hand and a folder in another. They went to the living room with the dinner.

“Right what film would you like to watch?” Alyssa asked looking through the DVD collection.

“Hm I don’t mind you pick”, Ben said more interested in her behind than the DVD’s. Alyssa looked over at him and raised a brow.

“See something you like?” she asked standing.

“Definitely”, he replied stepping closer to her. He reached out and pulled her to him by her hips before kissing her. Alyssa put her arms around his neck bringing herself even closer to him.

“Mm as much as I’d love to continue this, our dinner is getting cold so if you wanna watch a movie now would be a good time to decide which one”, Alyssa said moving back slightly but never removing her arms from around his neck.

“I fancy watching some super heroes”

“Avengers assemble?”

“Avengers assemble”, Ben replied. Soon boyfriend and girlfriend were watching the movie while eating their takeaway. They laughed when the Hulk started smacking Loki around.

“That’s always been my favourite part”

“Mine too”, Ben agreed.

After the movie Alyssa opened the file Ben brought and pulled out the contents. It was travel leaflets and itineraries for places in Europe. “So we’re flying out to Paris on Monday and spending two days there…” she trailed off when she saw Ben looking at her “what?”

“You’re really beautiful, you know that?”

Alyssa blushed “you’re just saying that”

“It’s true Ali”, he insisted leaning in and kissing her “you’re the most beautiful girl in the universe”.

“Stop talking”, Alyssa said pulling him in for another kiss, the holiday plans lay out on the table forgotten. “You wanna take this upstairs before you complelety remove my shirt?” Alyssa asked as Ben had started unbuttoning her blouse while he kissed her neck.

“Sounds good to me”, Ben agreed. Alyssa slid off his lap where she ended up and held out her hand. Ben took it and the red head led him up to her room.


	23. The boyfriend, the lodger and Ali

“Morning”, Ben said when Alyssa woke up.

“Morning”, Alyssa mumbled opening her eyes seeing her boyfriend.

“Did you enjoy last night?”

“Do you even need to ask Ben?” Alyssa asked rolling over on to her other side. Ben sat up slightly and ran his hand gently up her side.

“You want to go for round two?”

Alyssa looked at him over her shoulder “no”, she replied getting out of bed and pulling on a vest and shorts. She smiled when she felt Ben’s arms around her waist. Alyssa smacked his hands away when he started to slowly pull her shorts down. “I only said no because I thought we could take a shower together” she suggested turning around re-adjusting her shorts.

“I like that plan”, Ben said giving her a peck on the lips.

Alyssa stopped him when he began following her out of the bedroom. “You can join me after you put some clothes on”, she said.

“Why? We’re only going to take them off again”

Alyssa didn’t say anything just looked at him arms folded. Ben sighed “fine I’ll put something on”, he said. He put on yesterday’s t-shirt and a pair of shorts. They left the bedroom and were about to enter the bathroom when they heard a noise down stairs. It sounded like something being dropped in the kitchen.

“I thought your mum wasn’t here”, Ben said recalling what she’d said yesterday. That was the only reason that he’d stayed the night in her bed and not in the spare room.

“She isn’t”, Alyssa confirmed.

“Stay here”, Ben said before going downstairs. Alyssa refrained from rolling her eyes at his overprotectiveness. “Who the hell are you? And what are you doing here?” Ben demanded seeing the blue suited man in the kitchen with his back to him.

“Oh hello!” the Doctor said cheerily when he turned around. He guessed the young man was Alyssa’s boyfriend Ben.

“You didn’t answer my question. Who the hell are you?” Ben demanded again.

“He’s John. My lodger”, Alyssa’s voice said behind him making him turn around and look at her in surprise.

“Your lodger? I thought he left last Friday”

“He did”

“But I’ve come back. Well for this weekend at least”

“How did you get in?” Ben asked.

“My mum really liked John so she let him keep his key so he could stay here whenever he wants to”, Alyssa explained.

“I came to make a surprise breakfast for Ali and Sarah. I didn’t know you were here”

“Well I am”

“Ben why don’t you go have a shower and I’ll help John make breakfast”, Alyssa suggested sensing how tense Ben was getting. Ben stepped towards his girlfriend

“Come join me”, he whispered in her ear as he pulled her close.

“Some other time”, Alyssa whispered back before moving away.

“So that was Ben”, the Doctor said after Ben left.

“Yes that was Ben. What are you doing here Doctor? Aside from dropping by to make a surprise breakfast”, Alyssa said leaning against the counter.

“I got your video. I’m impressed with your skills, they’ve improved quite a bit over a short space of time”, the Doctor said starting to measure out the different ingredients for the pancakes.

“Thanks”

“I also missed you too”, the Doctor added “that’s why I came”.

“So are you planning on staying for long?”

“I don’t know. It depends on how long until you get sick of me”, the Doctor said pausing briefly in his mixing.

“Doctor I could never ever get sick of you. Are you planning to persuade me to re-join you and Sexy any time soon?”

“I was. Ali would you like to re-join me in my bigger on the inside box?”

“I’d love to as long as we can be back here before the 17th”

“Whats happening on the 17th?”

“Remember my mum mentioned that Ben and I were going for a week’s holiday in Europe?”

“Yeah”

“Well the 17th is when we’re going”

“Ali you do know I have a time machine”, the Doctor reminded her.

“You have a time machine?” Ben asked entering the room.

“No. don’t be silly Ben. Time machines don’t exist. John was saying that he wished he had a time machine so that he could go forward in time to when these pancakes are done”, Alyssa said attempting to cover up what the Doctor said. “Anyway I’m gonna hop in the shower. I’ll try to be quick”, Alyssa said. She left the two men alone in the kitchen.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pancakes were ready by the time Alyssa came back down. The trio sat down at the dining table and tucked into the food. “These are much better than last time”, Alyssa said happily as she had a few bites of her banana pancake.

“Last time?”

“John made these when he stayed last week”, Alyssa replied “so whats your secret John? Why are these so good?”

“You know I can’t tell you Ali otherwise it wouldn’t be secret”, the Doctor replied.

“Fine. I suppose I could just guess”

“You’ll never get it Ali”

“Oh I don’t know. I’ve been told on many occasions that I’m brilliant”

“Who told you that Ali?” Ben asked feeling a little like a third wheel.

“Just a friend”, Alyssa replied meeting the Doctor’s eyes and smiled. She continued to eat her pancake while Ben looked at the pair of them wondering who exactly this John was. “Why don’t you two have a chat and I’ll wash these plates”, Alyssa said when everyone had finished breakfast. She picked up the plates and took them to the kitchen.

“Who exactly are you John?” Ben asked.

“Ali told you. I was her and Sarah’s lodger”

“You seem to be a little friendlier towards Ali than just some stranger who lived here for a week”

“I’m a friendly person. Is there a problem with being friendly?” the Doctor asked.

“Nothing. You just seem a little too friendly with her. Alyssa is my girlfriend, you understand?”

“Of course I understand. You have nothing to worry about benny boy! Ali and I are just friends”, the Doctor said getting up from the table. He stuck his head in the kitchen “I’m just heading out. You want to come with? Ice skating on the lakes of Celaeno”, he said trying to persuade her to come.

“Sounds great. Maybe later. Ben and I still need to make sure that we’ve got everything sorted for our holiday”

“Ok. I guess I’ll see you later”, the Doctor said.

“Hey wait!” Alyssa called running after him “I know why those pancakes tasted better. It’s the bananas isn’t it? They’re different”, she said.

“Maybe”

“Are they space bananas?” Alyssa asked quietly causing him to chuckle.

“Yep from the banana grove in Villengard”, the Doctor replied.

“Seriously?”

“No. there’s no such place”, the Doctor said but then he winked at her before leaving the house. Alyssa smiled and went back to washing the dishes.

“Ali can we talk?” Ben asked coming into the kitchen.

“Sure. Whats up?” Alyssa said placing the plates on the dish drying rack.

“What is it with you and John?”

“What do you mean?”

“He is too friendly towards you. And making pancakes, whats that all about?”

“John was doing something nice. As for him being too friendly, he’s a friendly guy. If he wasn’t my mother would never have let him keep his key”

“But you’ve only known him for a week Ali. He shouldn’t be acting that way towards you. It’s like the two of you are friends”

“We are. I like John he can be a little weird at times but he’s nice”, Alyssa said. She can clearly sense that Ben was jealous. She didn’t know why, it wasn’t like she had feelings towards the Doctor. They were friends nothing more.

“Do you like him more than a friend?”

“What? No of course not. Wait are you jealous of him because he made breakfast? Or because he stayed here with me and my mum for a week?” Alyssa asked. Ben didn’t answer her “oh my god. You are! You’re an idiot Ben. I love you silly”, she said closing the gap between them. Alyssa put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “And I can prove it. You still game for having a shower together?” she asked. Ben smiled and he scooped her up and carried her up the stairs, kissing her all the way.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After lunch…

“So we’re flying out to Paris on the Monday and staying there a couple of days” Alyssa said looking at the leaflets.

“Then on the train to Amsterdam for a day”

“That covers 3 out of the 7 days. Day 4 it’s off to Italy for the final few days right?”

“Actually you’re forgetting that we’re going to Greece for the final part of our holiday”, Ben corrected.

“Yes of course. Can’t believe I forgot about that”

“Well I am very distracting”, Ben said making her blush.

“Yes you are. So the Sunday is going to be…”

“Chilling out on the beach”

“Mm sun, sea and sand. Sounds lovely”, Alyssa said imagining stretching out on the yellow sand in her swim suit. 

“The only lovely thing that’ll be there is you”, Ben said. Alyssa blushed

“Ok what are you after?”

“What make you think I’m after something?”

“Because you complimented me”, Alyssa said.

“Aren’t I allowed to compliment my girl?” Ben asked moving closer to her. 

“I suppose you can but I was wondering if you had and ulterior motive”, Alyssa replied as he leaned in.

“Would you mind if I did?”

“Nope”, Alyssa said leaning in pecking his lips. Ben wasn’t going to settle for just a simple kiss, he pulled her back in and kissed her passionately. They were too involved that neither were aware that the Doctor had come back. He walked into the living room but when he saw that the two of them were ‘busy’, he left them to it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Man that was really good Ali”, Ben said when he finished his Bolognese.

“I second that”, the Doctor agreed.

“Glad you both liked it”

“Right I have to head off. I’ll talk to you tomorrow”, Ben said getting up from the table. Alyssa walked him to the front door.

“You’re not staying?”

“I’ve planning to meet the boys later but if you like I could come around tomorrow”

“Sounds good. Love you”, Alyssa said kissing his cheek.

“Love you too”

Alyssa closed the front door and went back to the dining room to collect the pasta dishes. “Uh Doctor did you take the dishes?” she called seeing that they were no longer on the table.

“Yeah I did!” the Doctor called back.

“You didn’t have to wash those”, Alyssa said going into the kitchen.

“I wanted to Ali. It’s the least I could do”, the Doctor said. “So Benny boy had gone home then?”

“Benny boy? Does Ben like his new nickname?”

“I think so. I guess you’ve got no plans tonight”

“Nope”

“Correction you do have plans. Grab your jacket and shoes and meet me in the TARDIS in 5 minutes”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise. I’m parked in the same place as last time”, the Doctor said walking out of the room.


	24. Ice skating on Celaeno

Alyssa hurried upstairs pulled on her jacket and shoes. She also grabbed the TARDIS key from the bedside table and clasped it around her neck. The woman made sure that the house was locked up before going to the garden shed. She smiled seeing the familiar blue box inside.

“Hello Sexy”, she said pushing the door open. “God I’ve missed this”, Alyssa said walking up the ramp listening the hum of the ship.

“She’s missed you too”, the Doctor said coming around the console.

 _He’s right. I have_ Sexy said making Alyssa smile. She’d also missed being able to talk to her. “You ready?” the Doctor asked hand on the lever.

“Yep”, she replied holding onto the console. The TARDIS juddered as the Doctor pulled the lever.

“Close your eyes”, the Doctor said when the ship stopped shaking.

“Why?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Always”

“Then close your eyes”, the Doctor said and Alyssa did so. The Time Lord took her hands and led her to the doors.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” Alyssa asked clinging onto the Doctor’s hand as held led her somewhere.

“Not yet”, the Doctor replied. He continued walking holding onto Alyssa’s hand. The Doctor smiled when he saw the large frozen lake “ok now you can” 

Alyssa removed the blindfold and gasped at the sight before her. “It’s beautiful”, she said taking in the winter wonderland before her complete with a vast frozen lake.

“Welcome to Celaeno”, the Doctor announced. Now Alyssa knew why the Doctor told her to wear a warmer coat. “Have you ever been ice skating before?” the Doctor asked as they approached the lake.

“Not for a while. When I was little my parents took me ice skating one Christmas. I preferred it to learning to ride a bicycle so my mum and dad paid for me to have lessons”, Alyssa said. “I suppose you know how to skate”

“Ali I’ve lived a long time. Of course I know how to ice skate”, the Doctor said producing two pairs of skates from his coat surprising Alyssa. “What?”

“How did you manage to fit those in your pocket?”

“They’re bigger on the inside”, the Doctor said as a matter of fact.

The woman shook her head “of course they are”. She sat down at the edge of the lake to lace up her skates. Alyssa was again surprised when the Doctor sat down and laced them up for her. “Thank you”

“You’re welcome” the Doctor still felt guilty for what happened to her so he was going to do what he could to make her smile, laugh and be happy. Alyssa took tentative steps onto the ice wobbling a little, the Time Lord sticking next to her in case she fell. She gave him a smile when she stayed up right. 

When she felt a little more confident, Alyssa shouted “Race you!” she said before taking off across the ice. The Doctor took off after her. He was very surprised about how quick she was moving.

“Show off”, he called when Alyssa turned around and began slowly skating backwards.

“You’re always showing off to me, figured it was my turn”, Alyssa said. She stopped and waited for the Doctor to catch up. “Tag!” she said tapping him on the shoulder when he came to a stop next to her.

“Hey!”

“Catch me if you can!”

The Doctor chased Alyssa around the ice. The Time Lord eventually caught her but instead of ‘tagging’ her, he picked her up and spun her around. Then he lost his balance sending them both down making them. They stared at each other for a moment before Alyssa started giggling. The Doctor started laughing too a second later.

“Tag”, the Doctor said tapping her arm.

“Tag back”, Alyssa said tapping his chest.

“Double tag back”

Alyssa started to laugh again at their childish behaviour. “What are we 12?”

“I’d say you’re more like 5”, The Doctor retorted. Alyssa smacked him in the chest and got up. “Gonna help me up?”

“Nope”

The Doctor got up by himself with no problems.

The pair then got off the ice and removed their skates. Not long after the Doctor had swapped his skates for his converse, he’d gotten a face full of snow courtesy of Alyssa. That started off a snow ball fight. They had a lot of fun with that especially when Alyssa kept using her powers for sneak attacks. Eventually she had to stop doing that due to the headache. She flopped down in the snow started to make a snow angel. “Come on Doctor. Don’t make me do snow angels on my own”, she said pausing in her work. The Doctor laid down on the snow next to her and made a snow angel too.

“Hm not bad. The first snow angels on Celaeno”, Alyssa commented standing up and looking at both snow angels.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~TARDIS~

“That was really fun”, Alyssa said as they sat in the kitchen with a mug of tea each.

“Glad you enjoyed yourself” the Doctor then pulled out her bracelet from his pocket “I believe this is yours”

“My bracelet!” Alyssa took it from him “you fixed it. Thank you”, she said happily.

“You’re welcome. I noticed you've been wearing that every day since I met you"

“That’s because it’s my most prized possession. My bracelet of special memories” Alyssa placed it on the table so she could explain the charms. “My parents gave this to me with this ice skate charm when I completed all four levels of Skate Tots. I was about 5", she said pointing to an ice skate. She then touched the half Purple Heart charm with the word ‘best’ on it. "This half heart I got from Ellie. She had the other half. For prom we gave each other shoe charms” she gestured to the blue high heeled shoe “When I graduated my mum gave me this silver brush” Alyssa touched the silver paint brush “Gran gave me this granddaughter charm for my 16th birthday. My 18st I received this birthstone charm from my dad", she explained showing the Doctor the other three charms.

"That's a lot of memories. No wonder you don't take it off"

"Yeah", Alyssa agreed “anyway I’m gonna head to bed. Night Spaceman” The Doctor rolled his eyes at the nickname.

“Goodnight Ali”


	25. Vacation

The week before Alyssa and Ben’s holiday was pretty normal. The 23 year old woman worked her four shifts at the Coffeehouse, showing the new girl Bonnie the ropes. Alyssa didn’t feel right about someone else taking over Ellie’s job but they needed an extra person as it wasn’t easy running the place with two people. Bonnie was a pretty nice girl and she liked ice skating too which was a bonus. After Tuesday’s shift they headed to the rink and had a great time.

When the 17th rolled around, Alyssa and Ben were jetting off on their holiday around Europe. “We’re here!” Alyssa said happily entering the hotel room dragging her suitcase in.

“Yes we are”, Ben agreed pulling his own case in the room and closing the door.

“So where to first?” Alyssa asked.

“I thought maybe you could pick”, Ben replied.

“Alright. Um how about the Eiffel Tower?”

“Sounds good to me”

Boyfriend and girlfriend left their hotel room and went to the iconic Paris landmark. As they were making their way there, Alyssa noticed that all the signs were in English. Even the people were speaking English. “Ben can you understand that?” she asked pointing to one of the signs.

“Not really. It’s in French Ali”

 _Strange. I wonder why it’s in English for me_ Alyssa thought her hand going to the chain around her neck, the one where the TARDIS key hung, hidden beneath her dress. She and Ben took a couple of each other at the base.

“Would you like me to take one of the two of you?” a curly haired woman asked approaching them.

“Sure”, Ben replied handing her the camera. They stood arms around each other as the woman took the picture.

“First time in Paris?” she asked handing the camera back.

“Yeah it is”, Alyssa replied.

“Well I hope you two have a nice time”, the woman said and walked off. Ben and Alyssa headed to the Eiffel Tower.

“Pretty cool view right?” Ben asked when they got to the top.

“Yeah. Everything is so small from up here”, Alyssa said. She couldn’t help but think about time when Doctor showed her the entire Milky Way, which seemed so small too. Ben took a sneaky picture of the red head as she looked out over Paris.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After lunch they leisurely wandered around the Louvre looking at the various paintings and exhibits. Alyssa spotted a painting in the Van Goh exhibit and made a beeline for it “What are those swirls supposed to be?”  Ben asked.

“Stars. It’s called Starry Night”, Alyssa replied looking at the painting. It reminded her of the Milky Way. Ben snapped his fingers in front of her face when he noticed that Alyssa was just staring at the painting.

“Are you alright Ali? You look a little spaced out”

“Yeah I was just thinking. Sorry Ben”, Alyssa said apologising “shall we continue having a look around?” she asked taking his hand. They carried on walking around the Louvre looking at the paintings. After a long day of touring the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, Ben and Alyssa decided to have dinner at the hotel.

“I’d say that was a fun first day”, Alyssa said standing at the window watching the sun go down. Ben wrapped his arms around her waist

“Definitely”, he agreed kissing her neck.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Ben and Alyssa decided to explore the shops and markets that Paris had to offer. They had fun picking the cheesiest souvenir that they could find. “What do you think Ali?” Ben asked showing her the Stetson he was wearing.

“Very nice”, Alyssa said. “What about this?” she asked picking up a dark blue trilby and putting it on.

“It suits you”

For dinner the couple went to a little Italian restaurant where they sat outside sharing a bowl of spaghetti. Alyssa twirled a forkful of pasta and ate it at the same time Ben ate his. They’d managed to pick up the same strand of spaghetti and where eating it from both ends ala Lady and the Tramp. The couple smiled as their lips touched.

After dinner they took a stroll along the river Seine hand in hand. “It’s beautiful”, Alyssa commented stopping to look up at the sky as its colours changed from blue to fiery orange.

“Not as beautiful as you”

“You’re just saying that Ben”

“I’m not”, he insisted fiddling with his phone “may I have this dance?” he asked as music began to play. It was the same one that was playing at the graduation ball, their first proper dance together as a couple. **(An- that’s All We Are by Matt Nathanson)**

“Yes”, Alyssa replied. Ben took her hand and placed his other on her back. They started to sway in a slow dance. At one point Alyssa had rested her head on Ben’s chest, eyes closed allowing herself to be lost in the moment. When the music stopped Alyssa moved her head to look up at Ben with a soft smile on her face. “I love you”

“I love you more”, Ben countered before bending his head down to kiss her. Alyssa was sure that she couldn’t be happier than in that moment.

~Amsterdam~

“Ali don’t pull my arm out of its socket”, Ben said as the red head dragged him around the Artis Royal Zoo.

“Sorry I just want to see as much as I can”, Alyssa said slowing.

“We’ve got plenty of time to see what we want to. We don’t have to be in Italy until tomorrow”

“True”

They walked around at a slower pace looking at the various animals. Alyssa hogged the camera taking pictures of various ones such as elephants and penguins. When it came to lunch time they sat in the picturesque picnic area to eat. Afterwards they took a leisurely walk through Vondelpark, 120 acres of landscaped beauty.

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Day 4 was seeing Ben and Alyssa disembarking their plane in Venice. They dropped their things off at the hotel before starting their exploration of Venice, beginning with a gondola ride. “Smile Ali”, Ben said raising his camera to snap a picture. She did so and he took the photograph.

“Your turn”, Alyssa said taking the camera and took a picture of her boyfriend. “Grazie”, she said to the gondolier as she and Ben got off at the dock when their ride was over.

“Where did you learn how to speak Italian?” Ben asked.

“On the plane. I thought learning a few phrases might be useful”, Alyssa replied “so where to next?”

“Well I was thinking of trying to find the church that was used in the third Indiana Jones movie. I know it sounds sad but I’d to get a picture of me standing in front of it”

“That’s not sad at all. I’m pretty sure we can find it”, Alyssa said pulling out her phone. After a few searches “found it. It’s the church of San Barnaba”, she said showing him.

“You got directions from here?”

“I do now”, the woman replied. They walked following the directions on Alyssa’s phone. “There you go. One church”, she said when they got to their destination. Ben goes to stand in front of the church while Alyssa takes several photographs.

“Want your picture taken Ali?”

“Sure. Steve will be soo jealous”, she said remembering how he too was an Indiana Jones fan. Ben took a picture of her in front of the church. “Right. We’ve done a gondola ride and found the church from a movie. What next?”

“I think lunch is in order”, Ben replied feeling his stomach grumble.

“I’d have to agree with you there”

The couple found a nearby café and had some food. As they ate, Ben and Alyssa debated on what to do next. Eventually they decided on checking out the shops Venice had to offer. It took them a while but eventually they made it to Panorama Centro Commerciale. “Do you think my mum will like this?” Alyssa asked showing Ben a glass adult penguin with a baby.

“I take it she likes penguins”

“She loves them”

“Then it would be a great gift for her”

Seeing as Ben approved Alyssa bought it. “Hey Ali would you mind if I had a look around on my own?” Ben asked.

“Sure. Meet back here in say 45?”

“Ok see you then”, Ben said and wandered off. Alyssa went in a different direction. _Hm what do you get someone who lives in a bigger on the inside?_ She thought looking at the windows of the shops. The woman spotted an antique looking silver fob watch in the window of one particular shop.

“Welcome Miss. How can I help you?” the shop keeper asked. Once again Alyssa heard what he said in English.

“Hi I saw the fob watch in the window and I was wondering if I could take a look at it?” Alyssa asked the shop keeper.

“Of course”, the man replied. He got the fob watch from the window and gave it to her. Alyssa examined it

“My friend would love this. How much?”

“15 euros”

Alyssa handed the money over to him and he bagged up the fob watch. “Have a nice day miss”

“You too”, she said and left. “Hey Ben did you find anything for your family?” Alyssa asked when she met up with him outside the glass shop minutes later.

“I’ve got a few things for them”, he replied holding up the bag.

~Day 5: Rome~

Once Alyssa and Ben had put their stuff in their hotel, they started the tour of Rome with the iconic Colosseum. There they spent a good hour on a guided tour of the ruin. Next Alyssa and Ben took a short walk to the Trevi Fountain which was situated in the tiny piazza. “We’d better stay together”, Ben said seeing the crowds.

“Good idea”, Alyssa agreed. She took his hand and held on as they made their way through the bustling piazza to get to the fountain. Eventually they reached the fountain. “I’m pretty sure I got elbowed a dozen times”, she commented rubbing her arms.

“Well I got smacked by a handbag. I didn’t know how hard those things can be”, Ben added.

“Now you know what it’s like to be in a clothing shop during a sale”

Ben and Alyssa tossed a coin into the fountain, took a couple of quick pics before leaving. “Did you make a wish Ali?”

“If I did I can’t tell you otherwise it won’t come true”, Alyssa replied.

“Aw come on Ali. I’ll tell you what I wished for”

“Nope sorry Ben”

The young couple headed off to a restaurant around midday. “I bet I could beat you to the top”, Alyssa said when they stood at the foot of the Spanish Steps.

“I highly doubt it Ali”

“Wanna bet? If I win you have to make me breakfast in bed when we get back home”

“And if I win you will come with me to watch a football game”

“Deal”

“But you’re not allowed to complain or make fun”, Ben added knowing that Alyssa wasn’t a big football fan.  She sighed

“Fine. On 3. 1…2…”

“3!” Ben shouted and took off.

“Hey!” Alyssa called chasing after him. They raced up the steps, Ben in the lead. _Come on Ali. Pretend like a Dalek is chasing you_ she thought. That made her run a little faster. “Woo! I beat you Benny Boy!” the red head cheered as she reached the top first.

“That’s because you had less people to go around”, Ben panted.

“Whatever you say Ben. I just can’t wait for my breakfast in bed”

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Day 6 saw Ben and Alyssa head off to Athens. In the morning they explored the famous Acropolis making sure to take lots of pictures. After lunch they wandered around the Plaka, the historical neighbourhood situated in the shadow of the Acropolis. Alyssa especially liked the little shops that lined the streets. “These are really beautiful”, she commented looking at the different jewellery. Alyssa picked up a gold one with flowers and vines. She showed Ben who nodded his approval.  “How much for this one?” Alyssa asked.

“For you half price 10 euros”, the elderly woman replied.

“Really? Are you sure you don’t want the full amount? I don’t mind paying that much”

“Of course I don’t mind dear”

“Well...”

“Here you go mam”, Ben said handing over the money before Alyssa could say anything else. He then ushered her out of the shop.

~Day 7: Loutsa, Greece~

“This place is amazing!” Alyssa commented walking out onto the balcony of their room at the Vrachos Beach Hotel.

“I have to agree with you there. So what do want to do today?”

“I think with all that travelling I’m just going to relax by the pool if that’s ok”, Alyssa replied going into the bathroom with her swimsuit.

“That’s ok. Although if you’re going dressed like that I might join you”, Ben said when he saw the suit Alyssa was wearing when she came out of the bathroom.

“Well if you are then I’ll see you down there”, Alyssa said and walked out the room. She wandered down to the pool and stretched out on a sun lounger. The woman relaxed listening to her music with her eyes shut. Then her music glitched changing to a voice. _What the?_ Alyssa thought sitting up pulling her ear phones out thinking that she’d just imagined it. But when she looked down at the screen it showed her a picture of a large eye.

“Ali! Have you seen this?” Ben asked running up to her holding his phone.

“It’s on your phone too?”

“Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated”, the eye said one Ben’s phone.

“What the heck does that even mean?” Ben asked confused.

“I have no clue but it looks like we’re not the only ones”, Alyssa said noticing that other people who had electronic devices such as tablets or music players where playing the same thing. Alyssa’s phone then started to ring. “I’ve got to take this, I’ll be back in a moment”, she said seeing what the ID was.

“Hey D-“

“Ali I know you’ve seen the message but there’s no need for concern. Sure I’ve only got 20 minutes to save the world before it gets roasted but don’t you worry just enjoy your holiday”, a man’s voice said. He didn’t sound like the Doctor she knew however, his voice did sound familiar.

“Wait what do you…” Alyssa asked but he’d hung up “mean?”

“Who was on the phone?” Ben asked.

“Wrong number”, Alyssa replied.

“Ali look at the sun”, Ben said looking up and seeing the sun darken. The red head looked up at it along with everyone else that was there at the pool.

“Whats wrong with it?”

“I’ve got no idea”

 _I know who does and I’m gonna get some answers_ “I’m just going to the ladies. I’ll be back in a sec”, Alyssa said. When she was out of Ben’s eyesight, she dialled the Doctor hoping to get other guy instead of the Time Lord.

“Ali this…”

“Shut up. I don’t know who you are or why you have the Doctor’s phone but I want answers. You said that you only had 20 minutes before the earth gets roasted and now something has happened to the sun. What is going on?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t tell you. It’s kind of a Spoiler”

“That’s not an answer”

“Listen I’ve now got less than 20 minutes to save the world. You’re just going to have to trust me”

“Guess I’ve got no choice”

“Not really. Got to go Ali”, he said hanging up. _I know I’ve heard his voice before_ Alyssa thought. Her eyes widened when it hit her “oh my god. It’s that guy who burst into my room. He’s a future Doctor!” She re-joined Ben who was still looking up at the sky.

“No change?” Alyssa asked.

“Nope”

Minutes passed and the sun still hadn’t brightened. Alyssa kept glancing at the time on her phone growing more anxious. She was surprised when she next looked and saw that her phone’s time had changed to all zeros. “Ben look”, Alyssa said showing him.

“Zero? What does that mean?”

“No idea but….” Alyssa trailed off when the sun brightened.

“Whatever just happened it’s over now”, Ben said as the other guests started talking.

“Yep”, Alyssa agreed. She glanced down at her phone when it buzzed. There was a text message with one word. ‘Geronimo’. She excused herself again and called the Doctor keeping her fingers crossed she’d actually get hers this time.

 “Hey Ali” Alyssa breathed a sigh of relief when it was her converse Doctor who had answered.

“Hey Doctor”

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine”, Alyssa replied “see you later” she didn’t wait for an answer before she hung up. She was very relieved that he hadn’t regenerated. If he had that would’ve meant he’d been injured to the point of dying and that wasn’t something Alyssa was going to allow to happen. Not if she could help it.

Later…

Alyssa and Ben walked along the beach hand in hand. “That was one weird morning with the sun”, he commented.

“Definitely”, Alyssa agreed. She was glad that the man had managed to save the world. “This week has been incredibly enjoyable”

“Would you like to do next year?”

“Yeah. Maybe we could make it two weeks”, Alyssa suggested.

“Two weeks? Blimey Ali I think we should take it slow. I don’t want to rush into things”, Ben said jokingly. Alyssa rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I love you Benny boy”

“I love you too Ali but please don’t call me that”

“If you catch me then I’ll stop calling you Benny boy”, Alyssa said and took off along the sand. Ben chased after her.


	26. Smith, Jones and Palmer part 1

“Why on earth didn’t you tell me that you hurt your wrist last night?” Sarah asked while she drove her daughter to the hospital. The day Alyssa had come home, she’d gone to the rink. There she had decided to practice a certain move. Unfortunately Alyssa messed up the landing and fell awkwardly on her wrist.

“Because it wasn’t hurting that much last night”, Alyssa lied. Sarah glanced over at not believing her.

 “I know you’re lying to me honey. Don’t worry I’m not going to have a go at you. I used to do the something to my parents whenever I got hurt. My dad would say it’s the red hair”

Alyssa laughed at that “yeah maybe it is”

Couple of hours later…

“I think you should stay at home today”, Sarah said as they started to make their way towards the reception.

“It’s just a sprain mum. I can’t afford to miss any more days off work especially since I don’t have that many vacation days left”, Alyssa said fiddling with the removable wrist cast that she had.

“Ali…” Sarah began when the hospital suddenly shook violently. The two women were thrown to the floor along with everyone. “You ok honey?” Sarah asked when the shaking stopped.

“Yeah. You?”

“I’m ok”, Sarah replied.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here”, Alyssa said getting to her feet along with her mother. She started to walk down the corridor. Sarah noticed something out the window and called to her.

“Uh honey you might want to take a look at this”, she said looking out the window. Alyssa stopped walking and joined her mother at the window.

“Oh my. We’re on the moon”

It wasn’t long before chaos ensued as others started to freak out about being on the moon. “What are you doing?” Sarah asked when Alyssa pulled out her phone “you’re not going to get signal up here”

“Yeah you’re right. Don’t know what I was thinking”, Alyssa said even though she knew her phone had universal roaming so it didn’t need signal. She’d hoped that the Doctor was here as he would be the only person who could reverse whatever brought them to the moon. “How are you doing mum?”

“I’m a little overwhelmed. I mean we are on the moon and… how are we breathing?”

“I have no idea but I think there is someone who can help”, Alyssa said. They walked past patients and doctors that were in the corridors. “You better stay in here”, she said when they reached a visitors lounge.

“Why?”

“Mum do you trust me?”

“Yes”

“Then please stay in there. I love you”, Alyssa said kissing her cheek.

“Ali!” Sarah called after her when she ran off.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa ran past open double doors that led to a balcony. She backtracked when she realised that she’d seen two people standing out there. One of which was wearing a very familiar blue suit. “Doctor?”

The man turned around and his face broke out in a huge smile. “Ali!” he said happily. Alyssa ran forward and hugged him. It had only been a few weeks but still she missed him. The Doctor had also missed the red head, it was rather lonely in the TARDIS without her. “What are you doing here? You’re not sick are you?” the Doctor asked worried.

“No”, Alyssa said holding up her casted wrist “sprained my wrist. I was practicing a move at the rink and fell awkwardly. But it’s nothing to worry about. It’ll be better in a week or so”

“Um I hate to break this up but we’re on the moon”, the dark skinned woman said.

“Yeah I saw. Who are you?”

“Martha Jones. And you?”

“Alyssa Palmer but you can call me Ali”, Alyssa replied. She then turned to the Doctor “Is there some kind of bubble around this hospital? Because we shouldn’t even be able to breathe right now”, Alyssa said.

“Let’s found out”, the Doctor said picking up a stone. He tossed it and hit some sort of shield. “You’re right Ali. It’s a force field”

“If there is a force field around the hospital, then this is the only air we’ve got. What happens when it runs out?” Martha asked.

“How many people is in this hospital?” the Doctor asked.

“Not sure. 1,000”, Martha guessed.

“1,000 people suffocating”, the Doctor said. He didn’t like this situation at all especially when there were so many innocent people that would die including Alyssa.

“Including my mother”, Alyssa said quietly which the Doctor heard.

“I’m going to figure this out and get everyone, including your mother back to Earth safely. I promise”, he vowed taking her hand.

“Why would anyone bring this hospital to the moon?” Martha asked.

“Heads up. Ask them yourself”, the Doctor said. They all looked up when they heard loud rumblings and saw three large ships flying overhead. The ships landed not too far from the hospital and several lines of armoured figures march out.

“Those are aliens. Real proper aliens”, Martha said staring at them.

“Judoon”, the Doctor said. He knew what they were and that it was bad for him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio watched the Judoon enter the hospital from where they hid behind the plants. “Oh they’ve got a shop. I like a little shop”, the Doctor said spotting it.

“If you bought a banana from here and it’s on the moon would it be classed as a space banana?”

“Never mind that! What are the Judoon?” Martha asked stopping their weird conversion.

“Galactic police. Well police for hire. More like interplanetary thugs”

“And they brought us to the moon”

“Neutral territory. According to galactic law, they’ve got jurisdiction over the earth”

“If they’re the police, are we under arrest for trespassing on the moon?” Alyssa joked.

“No. But I like that Ali. No, it’s simpler than that. They’re making a catalogue which means they’re after something non-human, which is very bad news for me”

“Why?” Martha asked and the Doctor and Alyssa just looked at her. “Oh you’re kidding me”, she said guessing that this ‘Doctor’ wasn’t human.

“Doctor we need to move”, Alyssa said and he nodded in agreement. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~office~

“They’ve reached the third floor”, Martha said coming into the room. “What is that thing?” she asked seeing the weird tube instrument the Doctor was using on the computer.

“Sonic screwdriver”, the Doctor replied.

“Well if you’re not going to answer me properly”

“No, really. It’s a screwdriver and it’s sonic. Look”, he said showing her the instrument and turning it on. The blue tip light up and it made a whirring noise.

“What else you’ve got? A laser spanner?” Martha joked. The Doctor glanced at Alyssa remembering when she asked the same question.

“It was stolen by Emily Pankhurst”, Alyssa replied. Martha was about to say something when the Doctor smacked the top of the computer.

 “Oh, this computer! The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon. Because I was just travelling past. I swear, I was just wandering. I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, I wasn't, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightning, that's a plasma coil. Been building up for two days now, so I checked in. I thought something was going on inside. It turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above”, he said rambling a little.

“God I’ve missed that”, Alyssa commented.

“Missed what?” Martha asked.

“His rambling”, red head replied.

“That was the only thing you missed?”

“Yep. I love listening to you ramble”, Alyssa replied “oh and I did miss Sexy”, she added. Alyssa saw the Time Lord’s expression and laughed “don’t look so upset spaceman, I missed you too”, she said ruffling his hair. “So what exactly are the Judoon looking for?”

“Something that looks human, but isn't”

“Like you, apparently”, Martha said still not believing that the blue suited man was an alien.

“Like me. But not me”

“Haven't they got a photo?” Alyssa asked.

“Well, might be a shape-changer”, the Doctor replied.

“Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?” Martha asked.

“If they declare the hospital guilty of harbouring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution”

“All of us?”

“Oh yes. If I can find this thing first. Oh! You see, they're thick! Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever”, the Doctor grumbled. This was going to make his job a lot harder.

“What are we looking for?” Martha asked.

“I don't know. Say, any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms. Maybe there's a back-up”, he said using his sonic on the computer.

“Just keep working. I'll go ask Mister Stoker. He might know”, Martha said and with that she left.

“I’m sorry for hanging up on you like that. I just had to make sure that you were you”, Alyssa said. The Doctor looked at her confused.

“What does that mean?” he had been a little worried by her phone call but he hadn’t had a chance to ask her when she hung up.

“During my holiday something went strange with the sun. I was going to contact you when my phone rang. It said ‘Doctor’ as the contact but it wasn’t you on the other end, not exactly. I think it was a future you who called me”, Alyssa explained.

“That’s why you sounded relieved on the phone because I hadn’t regenerated”

“Yeah”

“Even if that was future me you were talking to, I don’t plan on regenerating any time soon”, the Doctor assured her.

“Good”, Alyssa said. She leant against the desk while the Doctor turned his sonic on the tower of the computer.

“So how was your holiday apart from the sun going weird?”

“Not bad. Rather enjoyable”

“Where did you end up going?”

Alyssa opened her mouth to reply when the Doctor just managed to get the backup “I’ll tell you later. Let’s go find Martha and tell her”, Alyssa said. The two left the office and ran into Martha outside.

“I’ve restored the backup”, the Doctor said at the same time that Martha said.

“I’ve found her”

“What?” the Doctor asked then he saw two leather clad people coming their way. “Run!” he shouted grabbing Alyssa’s uninjured hand. The trio sprinted down corridor and into the stairway. They changed course when the Judoon where coming up the stairs. The Doctor, Martha and Alyssa run along corridors and around corners all the while one of the leather clad men was chasing them. They burst into the radiology room.

“When I say now, press the button”, the Doctor said to the two women before going to a machine attached to the ceiling.

“I don’t know which one”, Martha said.

“Then let’s find out”, Alyssa said pulling out the operators manual. She quickly flicks through it to try and find the right button.

“Now!” the Doctor shouted as the man breaks down the door. Martha slams her hand on the yellow button as she noticed it was the right one in the manual. The room is flooded with radiation and the leather clad man fell down.

“What did you do?” Martha asked.

“Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead”

“Isn’t that likely to kill you?”

“Nah its only radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It’s safe for you both to come out. I’ve absorbed it all”, the Doctor said and the two women stepped out from behind the shielding “All I need to do is expel it. If I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot”. Martha and Alyssa watched as the Doctor hopped on the spot shaking his left foot. He removes his shoe and throws it into the dustbin.

“You’re complelety mad”, Martha said while Alyssa couldn’t help but giggle at his antics.

“Right. I look daft with one shoe”, the Doctor said before he pulled off his other shoe “bare foot on the moon!”

“So what is that thing?” Martha asked crouching down beside the leather clad man. The Doctor crouched next to her while Alyssa went to the machine.

“It’s a Slab. They’re called Slabs. Basic slave drones”, the Time Lord explained. Alyssa pulled out the sonic from the x-ray machine and looked dismayed at it as it was completely burnt out.

“Um Doctor”

The Doctor looked up and saw his beloved sonic was damaged. “My sonic screwdriver!”

“I’m sorry Doctor”, Alyssa said when he took it from her.

“Ali I loved my sonic screwdriver”

“I know you did. I’m pretty sure Sexy can make you a new one”

“Doctor! Alyssa!” Martha shouted fed up of trying to tell them what she found.

“Sorry”, the Doctor said tossing his sonic behind him “you called me Doctor”, he added beaming.

“Anyway. Miss Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mr Stoker’s blood”, Martha said. Alyssa paled at that “Ali are you ok?”

“Had a bad experience with a vampire”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Nearly killed me twice”

“She wasn’t drinking the blood she was assimilating it”, the Doctor said suddenly confusing the two women.

“Come again?” Alyssa asked as he’d just interrupted their conversation.

“Miss Finnegan is an internal shape changer. If she can assimilate Mr Stoker’s blood, mimic the morphology, she can register as human. We’ve got to find her and show her to the Judoon. Come on!”

They started to run again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor, Alyssa and Martha hid by the water cooler watching another Slab walk by. “That’s the thing about Slabs. They always come in pairs”, the Doctor muttered.

“What about you?”

“What about me what?”

“Haven’t you got back up? Is Ali your partner or something?” Martha asked. The Doctor and Alyssa exchanged looks.

“Uh humans. We’re stuck on the moon running out of air with Judoon and a bloodsucking criminal, you’re asking personal questions. Come on”, the Doctor said. He stood up with the other two and came face to face with a Judoon.

“Non-human”, the Judoon declared after shining a blue light in the Time Lord’s face.

“Oh my god you really are!” Martha exclaimed.

“And again!” the Doctor said grabbing Alyssa’s hand and running once more. The trio goes up one flight and enters a corridor where people had Xs on their hands and struggling for air.

“How much Oxygen is there?” Martha asked a nurse who was giving oxygen to a woman via an oxygen tank.

Not enough for all these people. We’re going to run out”, the nurse replied.

“How are you feeling? Are you alright?” the Doctor asked Martha.

“Running on adrenaline”

“Ali?” he asked looking more concerned for her than Martha.

“I’m good”, she replied after she said that, the woman could feel the effects of the decline in oxygen. Alyssa was now getting really worried about her mother with the oxygen was running out and a plasmavore on the loose. She can only hope that her mother was safe.

“What about the Judoon?” Martha asked as they started moving again.

“Great big lung reserves. It won’t slow them down. Where’s Mr Stoker’s office?”

“This way”, Martha said.


	27. Smith, Jones and Palmer part 2

Alyssa stared at Mr Stoker’s pale body when they got to his office. _That was very nearly me_ she thought. She wanted to look away but she couldn’t. The Doctor had to physically lead her out of the room when she didn’t respond to her name. “That was nearly me”, she said quietly.

“But it wasn’t you. It’s never going to be you Ali”

“You can’t promise that”

“Yet I just did”

Alyssa gave him a small smile, sensing that he meant it. “if I was a plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do?” the Doctor asked racking his brain. Alyssa’s eyes flickered over to the large sign on the wall. She nudged him and pointed to the sign.

“She’s almost as clever as you”, the Doctor said looking it the sign.

“Find the non-human! Execute”, they heard Judoon say.

“You two stay here. I need time. You’re both going to have to hold them up”, the Doctor said.

“How do we do that?” Martha asked not understanding how they could possibly do what he was asking.

“Forgive me Ali. I wouldn’t normally do this but it could save a thousand lives. It means nothing, honestly nothing” before she could get a word out, he’d cupped her face and softly kissed her. He pulled back and ran off. Alyssa stood there watching him go surprised by that move “didn’t see that coming”, she murmured touching her lips. 

“That didn’t look like nothing”, Martha commented.

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Alyssa and Martha waited in middle of the corridor as the Judoon marched toward them. The red head didn’t attempt to move when one of them shone a light in her face. “Human. With non-human traits suspected. Non-human element confirmed”, he said. The Judoon pushed her against the wall “what are you?” he demanded. Alyssa didn’t answer “Authorize full body scan”. Alyssa hoped that she was buying the Doctor enough time to stop Miss Finnegan. She was also glad that Martha was keeping it together, she was surprised on how easily the trainee doctor was getting used to everything.

Eventually the Judoon completed their scan on Alyssa. They handed her a document and drew a cross on her hand. She and Martha followed the Judoon down the corridor and into the MRI room. “No”, Alyssa whispered seeing the Doctor on the floor at Miss Finnegan’s feet. She didn’t want to lose it as she didn’t want to have a repeat of last time. “You drunk his blood didn’t you?” she asked.

Miss Finnegan didn’t answer but Martha understood where she was coming from. She snatched a scanner from the Judoon next to her and used it on the old woman. “Oh alright, scan all you like”, Miss Finnegan said with a smug look on her face. It was soon wiped off when the head Judoon declared that she was non-human. They then executed her and swiftly left the hospital leaving Martha and Alyssa to deal with the MRI machine that was starting to act really weird.

“Martha start CPR on the Doctor”, Alyssa said stumbling over to the machine. With the lack of oxygen it was difficult to stand. _Red or blue? Red or blue?_ She glanced over at where Martha was still administrating CPR to the Doctor.  “Ah hell”, she muttered pulling on the red plug. Luckily the machine powered down. Alyssa went back over to the Doctor who by now was gasping for air, Martha passed out beside him.

“You did it”, he rasped seeing the machine off.

“Yep”

“My brilliant Ali”, the Doctor said struggling to his feet. He picked up Martha and walked slowly out of the room. Alyssa trailed behind him fighting to stay on her feet. When they reached a ward Alyssa slumped to the floor as her legs didn’t want to work anymore. The woman’s eyes closed as the last of the oxygen was used up.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ali!” Alyssa heard her mother shout as she stood outside the hospital with several patients and doctors. She looked over in the direction it came from and saw her mother running towards her.

“Mum you’re ok!” Alyssa said hugging Sarah the moment she was in arms reach.

“You too”, Sarah said moving back to look at her daughter “I was afraid when you didn’t come back. Even more so when I saw those large Rhinos. Please don’t ever run off like that again”

“I promise”, Alyssa said. Sarah pulled her into another hug.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “How are you doing with the whole space Rhinos and hospital on the moon?” Alyssa asked giving her mother a mug of tea.

“I would say that the incident was a weird dream but when I look at the crosses on our hands I know it actually happened. To be honest I’m not keen to do that again anytime soon. How about you? How are you doing with it?”

“Ok I guess. It was rather scary, thought of being trapped in a hospital on the moon with the air running out”, Alyssa lied. It was scary but for different reasons such as being stuck in the hospital with a plasmavore.

“It makes you think doesn’t it?”

“What does?”

“Meeting those Rhino’s. It makes you think that there is life on other planets”

“I suppose it does. I think given everything that happened I’m going to miss the rest of work today”

“That’s probably a good idea”, Sarah agreed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later…

Alyssa was curled up on her bed with a book when she got a text from the Doctor. She went to her mother’s room after reading it “mum I’m just going to head out for a bit to meet a friend. It that ok?”

“Sure. Have fun”, Sarah replied. Alyssa nodded and headed downstairs. She grabbed her jacket and purse and left the house. Alyssa went to the garden shed, smiling when she saw the blue box.

“Hello again Sexy”, she murmured pushing the door open “hey Doctor I got your text. Whats up?” Alyssa asked walking up the ramp.

“I was thinking about taking Martha on a trip as a thank you for saving my life. Figured you’d want to be here for that”

“Yes I definitely would. And I know where she is”, Alyssa said holding up her phone. She’d exchanged numbers with the woman who asked her if she wanted to come with her to Leo’s birthday party but the red head declined. She told him which pub the party was at and soon they were on their way.

“Ali I want to apologise for kissing you. I shouldn’t have done that”, the Doctor said apologetically. He did feel a little guilty for doing that as Alyssa had a boyfriend. If it had just been a way to hold up the Judoon, he could’ve easily picked Martha but it wasn’t the only reason. Admittedly he was starting to care for her, more than a friend would.

“Don’t worry about it. It was the only way to stall the Judoon and buy you enough time”, Alyssa said. She’d decided earlier not to make a big deal about it. It was to save everyone in the hospital after all. “So shall we go meet up with Martha then?” she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she left the TARDIS. Alyssa and the Doctor waited by the entrance to the alleyway that faced the pub. Eventually a blonde haired woman came storming out followed by Martha, another dark skinned woman and a dark skinned man. There was an altercation in which the blonde stormed off and the man chased after her. Martha looked across the street and noticed the Doctor and Alyssa standing there. She followed them as they headed into the alleyway.

“I went to the moon today”, she said to the pair who were now standing next to a blue box.

“A bit more peaceful than down here”, the Doctor said.

“You never even told me who you are”

“He’s the Doctor”, Alyssa said.

“What sort of species? It's not every day I get to ask that”

“I'm a Time Lord”, the Doctor replied.

“Right! Not pompous at all, then”

“I just thought since you saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might fancy a trip with us”, the Doctor said.

“What, into space?” Martha asked.

“Well”

“But I can't. I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad”, Martha said. She was interested but she did have other important things to do.

“Martha if it helps, the Doctor can travel in time as well”

Get out of here”, Martha said not believing Alyssa.

“I can”, the Doctor insisted.

“Come on now, that's going too far”

“You’ll have to show her Doctor”, Alyssa said. The Time Lord nodded and went inside the TARDIS. Alyssa stood by Martha watching her expression as the box disappeared and then reappeared a second later. The Doctor comes out holding his tie in his hand.

“Told you”, he said putting his tie back on.

“No, but, that was this morning. Did you? Oh, my God. You can travel in time. But hold on. If you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go in to work?” Martha asked.

“Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden”, the Doctor said seriously “Except for cheap tricks”, he added with a smile.

“And that's your spaceship?”

“It's called the Tardis. Time and Relative Dimension in Space”, Alyssa replied “but mostly I call her Sexy”.

“Your spaceship's made of wood. There's not much room. The three of us would be a bit intimate”, Martha said putting a hand on the blue box.

“Take a look”, the Doctor said pushing the door open.

“No, no, no”, Martha said gaping at the sheer size inside. She quickly backed out “But it's just a box”, she said going around the entire blue box “But it's huge”. Martha then went back inside trying to figure out how that was even possible. Alyssa and the Doctor followed her in. “How does it do that? It's wood. It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside”, she said with the Doctor mouthing the last part making Alyssa giggle.

“Is it? I hadn't noticed”, the Doctor said sarcastically and Alyssa laughed again. He smiled at her before closing the door.

“Shall we get going Doctor?” Alyssa asked going up to the console.

“Yep”, the Doctor said joining her.

“But is there a crew, like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?” Martha asked walking up the ramp.

“Just me”

“Hey!” Alyssa exclaimed.

“And Ali”

“So it’s just the two of you?”

“I use to have another friend travelling with me. Rose, her name was. Rose. And we were together”, the Doctor vaguely keeping his focus on the console, flicking switches.

“Where is she now?” Martha asked.

“With her family. Happy. She's fine. She's. Not that you're replacing her”, the Doctor replied looking up at Martha.

“What about Ali? You did kiss her”

“That was a genetic transfer”, the Doctor said.

“What he said”, Alyssa added when Martha looked at her “but you are wearing a tight suit”, she teased.

“Now, don't!”

“And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask one of us on a date”, Martha added.

“Stop it”, the Doctor said firmly as the two women teased him.

“For the record? I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans”, Martha said.

“Me too. In fact I have my own human, Ben”, Alyssa put in.

“You’ve got a boyfriend?”

“Yep. Been with him for nearly two years I believe”

“Well, then. Close down the gravitic anomaliser, fire up the helmic regulator. And finally, the hand brake. Ready?” the Doctor said with his hand on the lever to dematerialise the TARDIS.

“No”

“I am. Allonsy!”

“Off we go”, the Doctor said and pulled the lever. The TARDIS shook as it vanished. The trio hung on, Alyssa finding it tricky with one hand still in the removable cast.

“Blimey, it's a bit bumpy”, Martha commented.

“Welcome aboard, Miss Jones”, the Doctor said reaching over extending his hand.

“It's my pleasure, Mister Smith, Miss Palmer”, Martha said shaking his hand.

“Likewise Martha”, Alyssa said.


	28. Shakespeare code part 1

“But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?” Martha asked while clinging onto the console.

“Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight”

The TARDIS jerks to a halt and Martha is knocked to the floor. Alyssa would’ve most likely joined her if it wasn’t for the Doctor’s arm around her waist. “Blimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?” Martha asked.

“Yes, and I failed it. Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip, and one trip only”, the Doctor replied. He walked down the ramp to the doors “Outside this door, brave new world”, he said.

“Where are we?” Martha asked as she and Alyssa joined him.

“Take a look. After you”, the Doctor replied opening the door. Martha left the TARDIS and was amazed.

“Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time”, Martha said taking in their surroundings.

“You know that this is the first time I’ve travelled to the past”, Alyssa said as they walked.

“Is it?”

“Yep. 2007 doesn’t count as it’s in my recent past. This is history! When are we?” Alyssa asked stopping.

“Mind out”, the Doctor said pulling her back as a man empties his slop bucket from an upstairs window. “Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that”, the Time Lord said answering her question.

“I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift A+E”, Martha said. Alyssa screwed her nose up at the smell. “We safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?” the trainee doctor asked.

“Of course we can. Why do you ask?”

“It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race”

“What have butterflies ever done to you?” Alyssa asked confused.

“What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?”

“Are you planning to?” the Doctor asked starting to walk again.

“No”, Martha replied.

“Well, then”

“Is this London?” Alyssa asked

“I think so. Round about 1599”, the Doctor replied.

“So where are we going first?”

“Well if I’m right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to…” the Doctor grabbed Alyssa’s uninjured hand and ran. He stopped when the Globe Theatre came into view “the Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Through, strictly speaking, it's not a globe…”

“It’s a tetra decagon. Fourteen sides”, Alyssa said interrupting him. She remembered that little titbit of information from her English class at school when her teacher was talking about Shakespeare.

“And containing the man himself”, the Doctor added.

“Whoa, you don't mean. Is Shakespeare in there?”

“Yep”, Alyssa replied.

“Miss Jones, Miss Palmer, will you accompany me to the theatre?” the Doctor asked offering both arms to them.

“Mister Smith, I will”, Martha replied taking one of his arms.

“Watching a play by Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre sounds like fun. Count me in”, Alyssa said linking her arm through his other one.

“When you get home, you two can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare”

“I could get sectioned”, Martha said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That's amazing! Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as women, yeah?” Martha asked after the play had finished.

“Ah men dressed in drag. London never changes”, Alyssa said.

“Where's Shakespeare? I want to see Shakespeare. Author! Author! Do people shout that? Do they shout Author?”

“Author! Author!” a man shouted and soon the crowd started chanting it. 

“Well, they do now”, the Doctor said. The chants turned into applause as the one and only Shakespeare came out on the stage.

“He's a bit different from his portraits”, Martha commented

“He’s better looking than his portraits”, Alyssa said.

“Definitely”, the dark skinned woman agreed. 

“Genius. He's a genius. The genius. The most human there's ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. Always he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words”

“Maybe we should leave and let the Doctor fan boy over Shakespeare. We could take Sexy for a spin”, Alyssa whispered to Martha. She was going to reply when the playwright spoke.

“Ah, shut your big fat mouths!”

“Oh, well”, the Doctor said clearly disappointed.

“You should never meet your heroes”, Martha said.

“You've got excellent taste, I'll give you that. Oh, that's a wig. I know what you're all saying. Loves Labour's Lost, that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius”, Shakespeare said and then bowed. “When? Tomorrow night. The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Loves Labour's Won”, he added. _But there isn’t a sequel_ Alyssa thought. Something was nagging at the back of her mind. She had the feeling that Shakespeare was made to say that but wasn’t sure how or why.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of Loves Labour's Won”, Martha said as they filed out with the rest.

“Exactly. The lost play. It doesn't exist, only in rumours. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. And no one knows why”, the Doctor said

“Have you got a mini-disc or something? We can tape it. We can flog it. Sell it when we get home and make a mint”

“That wouldn’t be a good idea Martha”, Alyssa said still couldn’t shake the feeling she got in the theatre. 

“How come it disappeared in the first place?” Martha asked.

“Well, I was just going to give you a quick little trip in the Tardis, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer”, the Doctor said.

Eventually the trio find where Shakespeare was staying. “Hello! Excuse me, not interrupting, am I? Mister Shakespeare, isn't it?” the Doctor asked entering the room.

“Oh, no. No, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove...” Shakespeare then noticed both Alyssa and Martha “Hey, nonny nonny. Sit right down here next to me”.  The writer then turned to Burbage and Kempe “You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go”, he said.

“Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muses”, Dolly said ushering out the other two men.

“Sweet ladies”, Shakespeare said as the trio sat down in front of his table “Such unusual clothes. So fitted”

“Er, verily, forsooth, egads”, Martha said trying to sound like the Elizabethan people.

“Martha don’t do that”, Alyssa said knowing that you only had to talk normally to them. 

“I'm Sir Doctor of Tardis and these are my companions, Miss Martha Jones and Miss Alyssa Palmer”, the Doctor said showing Shakespeare the psychic paper.

“Interesting, that bit of paper. It's blank”

“Oh, that's very clever. That proves it. Absolute genius”, the Doctor said happily.

“No, it says so right there. Sir Doctor, Martha Jones. It says so”, Martha said looking at it and seeing the words.

“And I say it's blank”, Shakespeare said. 

“Psychic paper. Er, long story. Oh, I hate starting from scratch”, the Doctor said tucking the psychic paper in his coat.

“Psychic? Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More's the point, who is your delicious blackamoor lady and lovely woman with fire hair?”

“What did you say?” Martha asked slightly outraged by what he called her.

“Oops. Isn't that a word we use nowadays? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Afric?”

“I can't believe I'm hearing this”, Martha said getting more annoyed.

“Unbelievable”, Alyssa muttered.

“Its political correctness gone mad”, the Doctor said “Er, Martha's from a far-off land. Freedonia”. _Freedonia?_ Alyssa thought _could’ve come up with a better name than that._

A man in expensive clothes and wearing a gold chain of office enters the room. “Excuse me! Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behaviour. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mister Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed”

“Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round”, Shakespeare said to him.

“I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script, now!” Lynley demanded.

“I can't”

“Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled”, Lynley said firmly. Alyssa glanced over at the young maid as she slips out at the room. She noticed her when she came in with the Doctor and Martha and got a feeling about her. “I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, Love's Labours Won will never be played”, Lynley said and with that he walked out of the room.

“Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labour’s won over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know, more mysterious”, Martha said. Alyssa was going to say something when they all heard a scream coming from outside, in the street. Martha, Alyssa and the Doctor rushed outside in time to see Lynley stagger across the courtyard spewing water. 

“It's that Lynley bloke”, Martha said. She, the Doctor and Alyssa went to him to try to do something to help. The man collapsed on the cobble stones “Got to get the heart going. Mister Lynley, come on. Can you hear me? You're going to be all right”, Martha said starting to clear Lynley's airways for CPR, and water gushes out.

“What the hell is that?” Alyssa asked.

“I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water. He drowned and then, I don't know, like a blow to the heart, an invisible blow”, the Doctor explained. Alyssa looked up at the balcony where the maid was watching what was going on. _You had something do with this_ she thought as she moved away from the balcony. 

“Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away”, the Doctor said to Dolly.

“Yes, sir”, Dolly said.

“I'll do it, ma'am”, the maid offered. Dolly nodded and the maid walked off but not before making eye contact with Alyssa. 

“And why are you telling them that?” Martha asked.

“This lot still have got one foot in the Dark Ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft”

“Okay, what was it then?”

“Witchcraft”, the Doctor replied seriously.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I got you two rooms, Sir Doctor. You, Miss Jones and Miss Palmer are just across the landing”, Dolly said to the three of them when they went back the Shakespeare’s room.

“Poor Lynley. So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?”

“Where a woman can do what she likes”, Martha replied.

“Fire haired lady, you have a gift. One you don’t know the full extent of” _how does he know?_ Alyssa thought surprised.

“And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old?” Shakespeare asked turning to the Doctor.

“I do a lot of reading”, the Doctor replied.

“A trite reply. Yeah, that's what I'd do” Shakespeare turned to Martha “And you? You look at him like you're surprised he exists. He's as much of a puzzle to you as he is to me” he looked at Alyssa “But not to you Miss Palmer”

“I think we should say goodnight”, Martha said and left the room. Alyssa leaves also.

“You and the Doctor share a room. I’ll take the other”, she said to the woman and entered one of the rooms. Truthfully she wanted to be alone so she could think. She was slightly bothered by the way the maid looked at her. As if she knew that she had abilities. Alyssa couldn’t sense anything different about her but then again she couldn’t tell that Tanya was a monster until it was nearly too late.

“I must work. I have a play to complete. But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you and why this constant performance of yours”

“All the world's a stage”

“Hmm. I might use that. Goodnight, Doctor”

“Nighty night, Shakespeare”, the Doctor said and left.


	29. Shakespeare code part 2

“Budge up a bit, then. Sorry, there's not much room. Us two here, same bed. Tongues will wag”, Martha said after the Doctor handed her a tooth brush and they had a quick conversation about the possibility of magic.

“There's such a thing as psychic energy, but a human couldn't channel it like that. Well Ali might be able to. There’s something I'm missing, Martha. Something really close, staring me right in the face and I can't see it. Rose'd know. A friend of mine, Rose. Right now, she'd say exactly the right thing”, the Doctor said. He then realised that Alyssa was next door.

“Where are you going?” Martha asked when the Doctor got up.

“I’m just going to talk to Ali. Get some sleep Martha”, he replied and walked out of the room.

“Come in”, he heard Alyssa call after he knocked. “Hey Doctor. Whats up?” she asked when he came in.

“I just wanted to talk about what happened. I know there is something I’m missing but I can’t see it”, the Doctor replied closing the door and sitting down on the bed.

“Well I know there’s something strange going on. When Shakespeare declared that he was going to put on Loves Labours Won, it didn’t feel right. I can’t explain it but it felt like someone or something was making him say that. Then there’s that maid. I don’t think she’s quite human”

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s just a feeling I have. I’m not sure if it’s the psychic thing or something else but I know she’s not what she seems. What I do know for certain is that she had something to do with Lynley’s death”, Alyssa explained twisting a strand of hair.

“Ali there’s something you’re not telling me. What is it?” the Doctor asked.

“That maid whoever she is, is aware that I know her involvement because of that look she gave me before leaving to get the constable. Or she’s figured out I’m a kind of psychic”, Alyssa replied. She started to fiddle with her charm bracelet “Either way I’m a little…afraid”, Alyssa admitted. If that maid could cause someone to drown on land, she dreaded to think what she might do to her for what she knew.

“Ali whatever is going on here I won’t let anything happen to you”, the Doctor said taking her non-casted hand.

“Thank you”

“Get some sleep Ali”, the Doctor said after she tried to supress a yawn.

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine in the chair”, he replied.

“Nope you are not going to sit there all night”, Alyssa said getting up and stopping him from sitting in the wooden chair “stay awake or rest I don’t mind but you can do that in the bed”, she added.

“Fine”, the Time Lord agreed.

“Goodnight Doctor”, Alyssa said after they’d gotten into bed.

“Goodnight Ali”

Alyssa woke when she heard a scream. She and the Doctor scrambled out of bed hurrying to Shakespeare’s. When they got there, Dolly was on the floor. Martha goes to the window while the Doctor and Alyssa went to Dolly. Shakespeare could only just stare at the unmoving innkeeper.

“Her heart gave out. She died of fright”, the Doctor said.

“Doctor? Ali”? Martha called still looking out the window.

“What did you see?” the Doctor asked when he and Alyssa joined the other woman at the window.

“A witch”, Martha replied.

“Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place when we all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit”, Shakespeare said as they sat around his desk.

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light”, the Doctor quoted.

“I might use that”

“You can't. It's someone else's”, Alyssa said.

“But the thing is, Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright, and they were both connected to you”, Martha said to the playwright.

“You're accusing me?”

“No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches”

“I have? When was that?”

“Not, not quite yet”, the Doctor said knowing that the play she was talking about hadn’t been written by Shakespeare yet.

“Peter Streete spoke of witches”

“Who's Peter Streete?”

“Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe”, Shakespeare replied.

“The architect. Hold on. The architect! The architect! The Globe! Come on!” the Doctor shouted jumping up from the chair.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“The columns there, right? Fourteen sides. I've always wondered, but I never asked. Tell me, Will. Why fourteen sides?” the Doctor asked when they got to the Globe Theatre.

“It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well”

“Fourteen. Why does that ring a bell? Fourteen”

“There's fourteen lines in a sonnet”, Martha said.

“So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same design. Fourteen lines, fourteen sides, fourteen facets. Oh, my head. Tetra decagon. Think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!” the Doctor said his mind working hard to figure it out. He was also thinking about what Alyssa said that someone made Shakespeare say that there will be a sequel, the lost play.

“This is just a theatre”

“Oh yeah, but a theatre's magic, isn't it? You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis a the right time. Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy. Change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. But if you exaggerate that”

“It's like Sexy. Small wooden box with all that power inside”, Alyssa said.

“I like that Ali. Tell you what, though. Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?” the Doctor asked.

“You won't get an answer. A month after finishing this place, lost his mind”

“Why? What happened?” Martha queried.

“Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled”, Shakespeare explained.

“Where is he now?” the Doctor asked

“Bedlam”, Shakespeare replied.

“What's Bedlam?”

“The madhouse”, Alyssa replied.

“We're going to go there. Right now. Come on”

“Wait! I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand”, Shakespeare said. Before the four of them left two young men enter “Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it round, learn it, speak it. Back before curtain up. And remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know, the Queen might turn up. As if. She never does”, he said handing over the finished play.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors”, Shakespeare said as they headed to Bedlam.

“This country's ruled by a woman”, Martha retorted.

“Ah, she's royal. That's God's business. Though you both are royal beauties”

“Hold on Will. You’ve got a wife in the country”, Alyssa said to him.

“But this is Town”, Will pointed out.

“Come on. We can all have a good flirt later”, the Doctor said wanting to get to Bedlam as soon as possible without all the chatting.

“Is that a promise, Doctor?”

“Oh, fifty seven academics just punched the air. Now move!” Doctor said. To be honest he’d rather Shakespeare didn’t flirt with Alyssa. It was fine if the playwright wanted to flirt with Martha but Alyssa… it just didn’t feel right.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Does my Lord Doctor wish some entertainment while he waits? I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for you. Mad dog in Bedlam”, the keeper said to the Time Lord.

“No, I don't!”

“Well, wait here, my lords, while I make him decent for the ladies”, the Keeper said and with that he walked down the corridor.  Alyssa shuffled on the spot. She’d felt uncomfortable the moment they had entered the hospital. It was like being back at Ellie’s wake only 10 times worse. The Doctor put his arm around the woman seeing that was uneasy.

“So this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?” Martha asked shocked that Shakespeare could do such a thing.

“Oh, it's all so different in Freedonia”

“But you're clever. Do you honestly think this place is any good?”

“I've been mad. I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves its purpose”, Shakespeare replied.

“Mad in what way?”

“You lost your son”, the Doctor said softly.

“My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there”, Shakespeare explained sadly.

“I didn't know. I'm sorry”

“It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be. Oh, that's quite good”

“You should write that down”, the Doctor suggested.

“Maybe not. A bit pretentious?” Shakespeare asked.

“This way, my lord!” the Keeper called.

The group walked down the corridor to where the Keeper of the hospital was waiting for them. “They can be dangerous, my lord. Don't know their own strength”, he said as they entered the cell.

“I think it helps if you don't whip them. Now get out!” the Doctor shouted at him. The keeper of the hospital left. The Doctor tried to talk to Peter but he wasn’t answering so he decided a different tact. He placed his fingers on the man’s temples “Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past. One year ago. Let your mind go back. Back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A Winter's Tale. Let go. That's it. That's it, just let go”

The Doctor lies Peter down on his cot “Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches”, he said. Alyssa stood by the Doctor as the man began

“Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. They whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. Their design! The fourteen walls. Always fourteen. When the work was done they snapped poor Peter's wits”, Peter said recounting what the witches told him to do.

“Where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city? Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me where were they?” the Doctor asked.

“All Hallows Street”, Peter replied.

“Too many words”, a woman who looked exactly like a stereotypical witch said suddenly appearing next to Alyssa and the Doctor.

“What the hell?” Martha said startled by her appearance.

“Just one touch of the heart”, the woman said. She went to put her hand on Pete’s chest but it was stopped inches from it by a seemingly invisible force. The Doctor realised that it was Alyssa who was stopping the witch from touching Peter. The witch was shoved backward.

“You will not touch him”, Alyssa said moving to stand in front of the cot and face the witch.

“Witch! I'm seeing a witch!” Shakespeare exclaimed.

“Lilith was right about you, you are different”

“That’s one way of putting it”

“Shame that you’re going to have to die”

Alyssa once again stopped her hand for this time touching her. The Doctor knew she probably won’t be able to keep it up for long. “I know you”, he said.

“None on Earth has knowledge of us”, the witch said trying to force her hand towards the red haired woman’s chest.

“Then it's a good thing I'm here. Now think, think, think. Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy. Ah! Fourteen! That's it! Fourteen! The fourteen stars of the Rexel planetary configuration! Creature, I name you Carrionite!” the Doctor declared pointing at the so called witch. The now named Carrionite screams and vanishes in a slow flash of light. Alyssa gasped and sank to the floor, her head pounding in the effort to stop the Carrionite from killing her.

“What did you do?” Martha asked.

“I named her. The power of a name. That's old magic”, he replied “are you ok?” he asked Alyssa holding out his hand.

“I will be”, she replied taking his hand and he helped her up. 

“But there's no such thing as magic”

“Well, it's just a different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead”, the Doctor explained.

“Use them for what?” Shakespeare asked. He was rather amazed by what he’d seen Alyssa had done.

“The end of the world”, Alyssa murmured leaning against the Doctor.


	30. Shakespeare code part 3

“The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend”, the Doctor explained when they got back the Shakespeare’s room.

“Well, I'm going for real”, Shakespeare said.

“But what do they want?”

“A new empire on Earth. A world of bones and blood and witchcraft”

“But how?” Martha asked.

“They’re going use the play, Loves Labours Won. Doctor you said the Carrionites get their power from words right? And what better way to bring about the end of the world as we know it then through a play written by a master of words”, Alyssa explained “that’s why Lynley had to die. He was going to prevent the play from being acted out tonight. And poor Dolly must’ve come into this room at the wrong moment. Seen something that she wasn’t supposed to, that’s why the Carrionites killed her”. 

“What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?” Martha asked.

“Finishing the play”, Shakespeare replied.

“What happens on the last page?” the Doctor asked.

“The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual. Except those last few lines. Funny thing is, I don't actually remember writing them”

“That's it. They used you. They gave you the final words like a spell, like a code. Ali is right, they are going to use the play. The right combination of words, spoken at the right place, with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing! And yes, you can have that”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“All Hallows Street. There it is. Martha, Alyssa and I will track them down. Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play”, the Doctor said after locating the street that Peter mentioned. Alyssa, Martha and the Doctor left the inn and made their way to All Hallows Street.

“It’s that house”, Alyssa said pointing to a one particular house in the street.

“How do you know?” Martha asked.

“I just do”

As they approached the house, the front door creaks open. “I take it we're expected”, the Doctor said as the trio headed up to the attic.

“Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time”, Lilith said to him.

“Right then, it's my turn. I know how to do this. I name thee Carrionite! What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?” Martha asked wondering why it didn’t work.

“The power of a name works only once. Observe. I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones”, Lilith said pointing at her. Martha falls backwards into the Doctor's arms.

“What have you done?” the Doctor demanded laying Martha down. Alyssa checked her pulse

“She’s ok. Just unconscious”, she said when she found the woman’s pulse still going strong.

“It's curious. The name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time”, Lilith said. She looked at Alyssa “the woman you promised that you wouldn’t let anyone harm her, I name thee Alyssa Palmer” with those words Alyssa slumped unconscious next to Martha.

Eventually Martha regained consciousness. She shook Alyssa’s shoulder when she saw Lilith hovering on her broom outside the window. “Ali wake up”, she said shaking her harder. 

“Now, you might call that magic. I'd call that a DNA replication module”, the Doctor said seeing the doll.

“What use is your science now?” she asked before stabbing the doll. The Time Lord cried out in pain and collapsed. Lilith then flew away. Martha managed to get the Doctor’s other heart working again after hitting him on the back.

“What did I miss?” Alyssa asked as she woke.

“Quite a bit. Now we need to get to the Globe Theatre”, the Doctor replied.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We're going the wrong way!” Martha yelled as they ran down the street.

“No, we're not!” the Doctor called back.

“Yes we are spaceman!” Alyssa shouted grabbing his arm and pulling him the right way. When they reach the theatre, a red glow hangs over it.

“Stage door!” the Doctor shouts darting towards it. The trio found a groggy Shakespeare backstage “Stop the play. I think that was it. Yeah, I said, stop the play!”

“Doctor moan at him later. We’ve got to stop the Carrionites”, Alyssa said.

“Right you are”, the Doctor agreed. He runs out onto the, followed by Martha, Alyssa and Shakespeare.

“The Doctor. He lives. Then watch this world become a blasted heath!  They come. They come!” Lilith shouted holding up a crystal ball out into the red light and bat-like creatures fly into the theatre. They circle a bit then fly up into the sky.

“Come on, Will! History needs you!” the Doctor said loudly as to be heard over the noise.

“But what can I do?”

“Reverse it! The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it”, Alyssa replied.

“But what words? I have none ready!”

“You're William Shakespeare!”

“But these Carrionite phrases, the need such precision”, Shakespeare said not believing that he could do what the others expected of him.

“Trust yourself. When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they, like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm. Words that last forever. That's what you do, Will. You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise”

“Close up this din of hateful, dire decay, decomposition of your witches' plot. You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!”

“No! Words of power!” Lilith cried.

“Foul Carrionite spectres, cease your show! Between the points…”

“Seven six one three nine oh!” the Doctor put in.

“Seven six one three nine oh! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee…”

“Expelliarmus!” Martha shouted.

“Expelliarmus!” the Doctor and Alyssa also shouted together.

“Expelliarmus!” Shakespeare yelled

“Good old JK!”

The Carrionites scream. “The deep darkness! They are consumed!” Lilith exclaimed. The Carrionites are sucked into a tornado, along with all the extant pages of the play.

“Love's Labours Won. There it goes”, the Doctor said watching the pages go. The sky clears with a flash and bang. After a few moments, someone starts clapping, then all the audience joins in.

“They think it was all special effects?” Martha asked.

“Your effect is special indeed”, Shakespeare said. Alyssa rolled her eyes at his poor attempt to flirt. Martha seemed to agree because she said

“It's not your best line”. She, Alyssa and Shakespeare bowed while the Doctor goes up the empty box to collect the crystal the Carrionites were now trapped in.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And I say, a heart for a hart and a dear for a deer”, Shakespeare said making a joke.

“I don't get it”, Martha said.

“Me neither”, Alyssa agreed from where she sat on the edge of the stage.

“Then give me a joke from Freedonia”

“Okay, Shakespeare walks into a pub and the landlord says, Oi mate, you're Bard”, Martha said. Alyssa smiled at the joke but Shakespeare didn’t get it. The playwright pulled Martha towards him.

“I've only just met you”, Martha said.

“The Doctor may never kiss you. Why not entertain a man who will?” Shakespeare asked. Alyssa made sure to keep herself facing the large area in front of the stage.

“I don't know how to tell you this, oh great genius, but your breath doesn't half stink”, Martha commented. Alyssa had to laugh at that. She turned around to say something when The Doctor enters wearing a small stiff ruff and carrying an animal skull. Alyssa giggled at his appearance. “Good props store back there. I'm not sure about this though. Reminds me of a Sycorax”, he said.

“Whats a Sycorax?” Alyssa asked.

“I’ll tell you later”, the Doctor said.

“Sycorax. Nice word. I'll have that off you as well”, Shakespeare said.

“I should be on ten percent. How's your head?” the Doctor asked.

“Still aching”

“Here, I got you this”, the Doctor said taking the ruff off and puts it on Shakespeare “Neck brace. Wear that for a few days till it's better, although you might want to keep it. It suits you”. _Now he looks like the portraits_ Alyssa thought looking at him.

“What about the play?” Martha asked.

“Gone. I looked all over. Every single copy of Love's Labours Won went up in the sky”

“My lost masterpiece”

“You could write it up again”, Martha suggested.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten”, Alyssa said. 

“Oh, but I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons, in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet”

“Hamnet?” Martha said in surprise.

“Anyway, time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the Tardis where this lot can scream for all eternity, and I've got to take Martha back to Freedonia”, the Doctor said.

“You mean travel on through time and space”

“You what?”

“You're from another world like the Carrionites, and Martha and Alyssa are from the future. It's not hard to work out”

“That's incredible. You are incredible”

“We're alike in many ways, Doctor. Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art lovelier and more temperate”

Two young men enter and excitedly tell Shakespeare that the Queen wanted to see the play. “Queen Elizabeth the First!” the Doctor said when she entered with two pikemen.

“Doctor?”

“What?”

“My sworn enemy”, Elizabeth said

“What?”

“Off with his head!” the queen ordered.

“Run!” Alyssa shouted grabbing the Doctor’s hand and she dragged him out of the theatre.

“Stop in the name of the Queen!” the Pikemen shout as they chased the three time travellers through the street.

“What have you done to upset her?” Martha asked ash they ran.

“How should I know? Haven't even met her yet. That's time travel for you. Still, can't wait to find out”, the Doctor said sounding rather excited. When they reached the TARDIS and he let them in “That's something to look forward to”, he added.

“Just get in”, Alyssa said pushing him inside as arrows started to be fired at them. She shut the door and sat down on the floor.

“Never a dull moment with you two is it?” Martha asked.

“Nope”, Alyssa agreed.


	31. Gridlock part 1

“Just one trip. That's what I said. One trip in the Tardis, and then home. Although I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into past, one trip into future. How do you fancy that?” the Doctor asked flipping levers on the console. Alyssa had gone to lay down as her head was still hurting from what she did in the hospital.

“No complaints from me”, Martha replied.

“How about a different planet?”

“Can we go to yours?”

“Ah, there's plenty of other places”

“Come on, though. I mean, planet of the Time Lords. That's got to be worth a look. What's it like?”

“Well, it's beautiful, yeah”, the Doctor replied. They were getting into a topic that he didn’t really want to talk about.

“Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?” Martha asked imaging what the home of the Time Lords was like.

“I suppose it is”

“Great big temples and cathedrals!”

“Yeah”, the Doctor said thinking about his home. He wasn’t really comfortable talking about what happened to his people. He hadn’t even discussed it with Alyssa yet then again she never asked him which he was grateful for.

“Lots of planets in the sky?” Martha asked. She didn’t know that it was a difficult subject for him to talk about.

“The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow”, he replied picturing it clearly in his mind.

“Can we go there?” Martha asked now very interested in seeing his planet.

“Nah. Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home”, the Doctor replied dashing around the console tweaking the settings as he went. “Instead, this is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth. Second hope of mankind. Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built”, he said “but first I need to get Ali. Can’t explore without her”. The Doctor went to the red head’s room and went in “how are you feeling?”

“My head still hurts”, Alyssa replied rolling over so she could look at him.

“Do you think you’re up to coming out? I was going to show you and Martha New New York”

“That sounds like it could be fun. I think I’m going to pass but that doesn’t mean you and Martha can’t go”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Go show Martha New New York”, Alyssa replied easily picking up his concern for her which wasn’t helping her headache much “I’ll be fine. I’ve got Sexy to keep me company. Enjoy yourself and don’t get into too much trouble mister”

“Trouble? I never get into trouble”

“Yeah right. Of course you don’t. Now clear off spaceman”, Alyssa said rolling over to face the wall. She closed her eyes and heard the door close as the Doctor left.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa jerked awake when she suddenly got a feeling something was about to happen. She grabbed her jacket and left the TARDIS. The woman walked quickly wanting to find her friends as soon as possible. She finally spotted them talking up ahead but when she started to approach them she was grabbed from behind. “Hey!” Alyssa exclaimed making her friends turn around. The Doctor tried to come to her aid but the woman who was with the man currently holding Alyssa hostage pointed a gun at him.

“I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all”, the man said retreating with Alyssa. His partner backing off with him keeping the gun trained on both the Doctor and Martha.

“Let her go! I'm warning you, let her go!” the Doctor shouted as the red head struggled to get loose. Alyssa didn’t want to use her powers if she could help it. “Whatever you want, I can help.  The three of us, we can help. But first you've got to let her go”, the Doctor said desperate.

“I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Sorry”, the woman apologised before darting through the green door after her partner and their hostage.

“You better let me go right now!” Alyssa demanded as she’s roughly escorted down the passageway. She squirmed in the man’s grip trying to make it as hard as possible and to hopefully allowing the Doctor and Martha to get to her.

“Give her some Sleep”, the man said to the woman as he was struggling to keep hold of Alyssa.

“Don’t you dare”, Alyssa said as she saw the woman pull a token out of her pocket.

“It's just Sleep Fourteen”

“I don’t bloody care what it is. Don’t do it”, Alyssa said preparing to use her powers. Unfortunately the woman didn’t listen and reached for her neck to press the token on her skin. Alyssa shoved her backwards with a little psychic energy but not before she’d managed to press the token against the red head’s neck. Alyssa’s eyes fluttered shut and she went limp.

By the time the Doctor and Martha had caught up with the two people who’d taken Alyssa, they were too late. “Alyssa!” the Doctor shouted as he and Martha watched the vehicle that had their friend and her captors took off.

“What do we do now?” Martha asked.

“We find out where those people are taking Ali and then we get her back”, the Doctor replied.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 _First Carrionites use some sort of spell now I drugged with a mood. I’m really starting to hate being forced to sleep_ Alyssa thought when she woke. She pulled the sticker from her neck. Her two captors where sitting up in front talking, they hadn’t noticed that she was now awake. Alyssa looked at the gun that was in front of her. _I’ve got something better_ she thought focusing on the steering wheel.

“What the?” the man said when the steering wheel got stuck.

“Take me back right now”, Alyssa demanded.

“Are you doing that?” the man asked.

“Yes. I’ll let it go when you agree to take me back”

“What's your name?” the woman asked wanting to calm her down.

“Alyssa Palmer”, Alyssa replied “now are you going to take me back?”

“Well, I'm Cheen, and this is Milo. And I swear we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast line, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your friend”

“Really?” she asked not believing them even though her sense was telling her too. She didn’t want to trust it especially since she still had a slight headache left over from the Shakespeare adventure. It didn’t help using her abilities on her captors in the alleyway either.

“I swear! Look. Honesty patch”, Cheen said pushing her hair back to show her the honesty sticker on her neck. Alyssa stopped using her powers on the steering wheel so Milo could use it.

“All the same, it's still kidnapping!” Alyssa said angry about being kidnapped and drugged “where are we, anyway?” she asked getting up from the bed and looking at the front window.

“We're on the motorway”, Milo replied.

“What's that, then? Fog?”

“That's the exhaust fumes”, Cheen replied.

“We're going out to Brooklyn. Everyone says the air's so much cleaner, and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town, because…” Milo began.

“Well, because of me. I'm pregnant. We only discovered it last week. Scan says it's going to be a boy”, Cheen finished.

“Congratulations. If you’re having a baby then you shouldn’t be wearing that”, Alyssa said peeling the honesty sticker from Cheen’s neck.

“This'll be as fast as we can. We'll take the motorway to the Brooklyn flyover, and then after that it's going to take a while, because then there's no fast lane, just ordinary roads, but at least its direct”, Milo explained.

“It's only ten miles”, Cheen added.

“How long is it going to take?” Alyssa asked. 10 miles didn’t seem too bad to her.

“About six years”, the brunette woman replied.

“What?”

“Be just in time for him to start school”

“No, sorry, hold on. Six years? Ten miles in six years? How come?”

“You don’t know?” Milo asked and Alyssa shook her head.

“Where are you from anyway?” Cheen asked curios as to how the red haired woman didn’t know about the motorway.

“Oh, quite far. So why is it going to take that long?”

“Because of the traffic jam. Pretty much everyone is on the motorway going somewhere”, Milo said.

“You hungry?” Cheen asked as they dropped down the rows of cars.

“A little bit”, Alyssa replied. Cheen handed her a biscuit which she thanked her for. “But how far down is it to this fast lane?”

“Oh, its right at the bottom, underneath the traffic jam. But not many people can afford three passengers, so it's empty down there. Rumour has it you can reach up to thirty miles per hour”, Milo replied.

“Blimey 30 miles an hour. That's, like, crazy”, Alyssa said sarcastically. She glanced around the tiny vehicle “how on earth are you supposed to live inside this thing? It's tiny”

“Oh, we stocked up. Got self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulants for exercise, and there's a chemical toilet at the back. And all waste products are recycled as food”

At that Alyssa dropped her biscuit on the floor all of a sudden losing her appetite. 

“Oh, another gap. This is brilliant”, Milo said and they dropped down another level.

“Car sign in”, the computer said.

“Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, on descent to fast lane, thank you very much”, Milo declared sounding rather happy.

“Please drive safely”, the computer said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Alyssa sat on the bed fiddling with the charm bracelet on her wrist as the car continues to descend. She really hoped that she wasn’t going to be stuck in this car for 6 years. _I hope the Doctor and Martha are ok_ she thought wondering where her friends were and if they were ok.

“See? Another ten layers to go. We're scorching”, Milo said after a moment.

“What's that? It's coming from underneath”, Alyssa said when she and the couple heard a distant growling.

“It's that noise, doesn't it? It's like Kate said. The stories, they're true”, Cheen said. She sounded a mix of afraid and excited at the same time to Alyssa.

“What stories?”

“It's the sound of the air vents. That's all. The exhaust fumes travel down, so at the base of the tunnel they've got air vents”

“No, but the stories are much better. They say people go missing on the motorway. Some cars just vanish, never to be seen again, because there's something living down there in the smoke. Something huge and hungry. And if you get lost on the road, it's waiting for you”

 _Great I’m stuck in a tin can with two complete strangers and it’s possible that there is a monster on the motorway_ Alyssa thought. She wasn’t going to freak out because that wasn’t going to help her or her travelling companions.

“But like I said. Air vents. Going down to the next layer”, Milo said manoeuvring the car down another level.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The car dropped several more levels before a woman appeared on the monitor. This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again. The sun is blazing high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation”, the blonde woman said happily “This is for all of you out there on the roads. We're so sorry. Drive safe”

A song then began to play on the monitor. Alyssa joined in with Cheen and Milo as they sang along.

_On a hill far away stood an Old Rugged Cross_

_The emblem of suffering and shame_

_And I love that old cross where the dearest and best_

_For a world of lost sinners was slain_

_So I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross_

_Till my trophies at last I lay down_

_And I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross_

_And exchange it some day for a crown_

_To the Old Rugged Cross, I will ever be true_

_It's shame and reproach, gladly bear_

_Then He'll call me some day to my home far away_

_Where His glory forever I'll share_

_And I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross_

_Till my trophies at last I lay down_

_And I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross_

_And exchange it some day for a crown_

Alyssa wiped away a tear that had formed during the song. Cheen also looked like she had tears in her eyes. Not long after the song had finished the computer declared that they had reached the fast lane. “We made it. The fast lane”, Milo said happily exchanging smiles with his wife.


	32. Gridlock part 2

~Brannigan's car~

“If you won't take me, I'll go down on my own”, the Doctor said after Brannigan refused to take them to the fast lane. He just wanted to get Alyssa back safe.

“Doctor what are you doing?” Martha asked as he knelt down in the middle of the car scanning the floor with his sonic.

“Finding my own way. I usually do”, the Doctor replied. He found the trap door and sonics it open. The Doctor removes his coat and hands it to Martha “Look after this. I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat”, he said sitting down by the trap door, legs dangling out.

“Why am I looking after this?”

“Because you’re staying here. I’ll come back for you once I find Ali”, the Doctor replied.

“But you can't jump”, Valerie said

“If it's any consolation, Valerie, right now, I'm having kittens”

“This Ali. She must mean an awful lot to you", Brannigan said knowing how persistent he was in finding his friend. 

“She does, more than you know”, the Doctor said. He and Alyssa had been through so much in the short space of time and he’d grown to care for her. Martha watches as the Doctor drops onto the roof of the car below.

“He's completely insane!” Valerie exclaimed.

“That, and a bit magnificent!” Brannigan said. _He cares for her more than just as a friend_ Martha thought. Alyssa told her that she had a boyfriend and that she and the Doctor are just friends. However, it seemed to the trainee doctor like there was more going on between them.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Try again”, Cheen said and Milo taps Exit 1 on the monitor.

“Brooklyn turnoff one, closed”, the computer told them. Milo tried the next Exit but the computer said the same thing for that one. 

“What do we do?” Cheen asked.

“We'll keep going round. We'll do the whole loop, and by the time we come back round, they'll be open”, Milo replied.

“You still want to call that air vents?” Alyssa asked when they heard the rumbling noise again.

“What else could it be?” Milo asked.

“What the hell is that?” Cheen asked trying to stay calm but from the expression on her face, she looked worried.

“It's just the hydraulics”, Milo said assuring his wife.

“It sounds like it's alive”, Alyssa commented.

“It's all exhaust fumes out there. Nothing could breathe in that”, Milo insisted. _Nothing human can but something might be able to_ Alyssa thought shuddering.

“Calling Car four six five diamond six. Repeat, calling Car four six five diamond six”, a voice called over their communicator.

“This is Car four six five diamond six. Who's that? Where are you?” Milo asked.

“I'm in the fast lane, about fifty yards behind”, the woman replied “Can you get back up? Can you get off the fast lane?”

“We only have permission to go down. We need the Brooklyn Flyover”, Milo said.

“It's closed. Go back up”

“We can't. We'll just go round”

“Don't you understand? They're closed. They're always closed. We're stuck down here, and there's something else out there in the fog. Can't you hear it?” the woman asked. She sounded terrified. The trio in Milo’s vehicle heard a roar.

“That's the air vents”, Milo insisted although he didn’t sound so sure anymore.

“What are you some stupid kid? Get out of here!” the woman shouted.

“What was that?” Alyssa asked when they all heard a big thump through the communicator.

“I can't move! They've got us!”

Alyssa went to the back wall and closed her eyes. She prayed that her powers would reach the other car. The woman took deep breaths and released as much energy as she could. “Miss have they still got you?” Alyssa asked picking up the communicator.

“No they’ve backed off. But you need to get out of here now”

“Not without you”, Alyssa said. She didn’t want to lose anyone not even complete strangers.

“Just drive, you idiots! Get out of here!”

“Can you hear me? Hello?” Milo asked but there was silence on the other end. Alyssa slumped onto the floor. _I couldn’t save them. Even with my abilities I couldn’t save them_.

“Do what she said”, Alyssa said getting up. She still had to keep it together for Cheen and Milo. “Get us out of here”, she ordered.

“But where?”

“Just straight ahead. And fast!” Alyssa replied.

“What is it? What's out there? What is it?” Cheen asked sobbing.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “Go faster!” Cheen shouted as the vehicle got jolted around by whatever was out there.

“I'm at top speed!” Milo said trying to manoeuvre around the fast lane. He tried the police but he was put on hold. Alyssa lashed out again with her powers to get the things that were attacking them to back off.

“Turn everything off”, Alyssa ordered struggling to keep standing. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to do that a third time without passing out.

“You've got to be joking”

“Listen I’ve got a bloody head ache from using my powers. And I definitely can’t keep that up forever so just do it!” Alyssa snapped. Milo did as she said and the outside goes quiet. 

“They've stopped”, Cheen said.

“Yeah, but they're still out there”

“What do you mean by powers? How did you think of that?” Cheen asked turning to the other woman.

“I’ve got psychic powers. I haven’t figured how or why I have them but I just do. As for your other question I saw it on a film once a while back. The problem is I can't remember what they did next”, Alyssa said answering her two questions.

“Well, you'd better think of something, because we've lost the aircon. If we don't switch the engines back on, we won't be able to breathe”

“How long have we got?” Alyssa asked.

“Eight minutes, maximum”, Milo replied. _Ok no pressure then_ Alyssa thought sitting on the bed _ok brain let think of a way out of this_. Minutes passed and she still hadn’t thought of a way out. It was a tricky situation because if they turn on the engines then the creatures outside will attack them. Then there’s the little issue of rows of cars above. _We really could do with the Doctor right now_ Alyssa thought. She knew the Time Lord could figure a way out of this situation.

“How much air's left?” Cheen asked.

“Two minutes”, Milo replied.

“There's always the Doctor. The man who was in the street with my other friend Martha. He might think of something”

“Alyssa, no one's coming”

“He looked kind of nice”

“He's a bit more than that”

“Are you and him?” Cheen asked.

“We’re just friends”

“So, er, who is he, then, this Doctor?” Milo asked.

“He is this amazing guy. Very brilliant. The best friend anyone could have. Just trust me, both of you. You've got your faith, you've got your songs and your hymns, and I've got the Doctor”

“Right”, Milo says and then turns the car back on “Good luck”, he said to the red head.

“And you”, Alyssa said “come on spaceman. We need you”, she added quietly to herself as Milo flew through the fast lane dodging the creatures outside.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa nearly cried on relief when the Doctor appeared on the car’s monitor. Oi! Car four six five diamond six. Ali! Drive up!”

“That's the Doctor!” Alyssa said happily.

“We can't go up! We'll hit the layer!”

“Milo just do as he says! Go up!” Alyssa said to him.

“You've got access above. Now go!” the Doctor added. Milo did what they told him to do and flew upwards.

“It's daylight. Oh my God, that's the sky. The real sky”, Cheen said nearly tearing up at the sight after being stuck in the under-city all those years.

“He did it! I told you, he did it!” Alyssa shouted jumping up and down, her headache momentarily forgotten.

“And Car four six five diamond six, I've sent you a flight path. Come to the Senate”, the Doctor instructed.

“On my way”, Alyssa said sinking on the bed. She decided to have a rest now that the danger had passed. Milo and Cheen glanced back at the red haired woman asleep on their bed. It seemed that whatever she’d done with her psychic powers had really worn her out.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A little later…

“Martha!” Alyssa said seeing the woman outside of a building.

“Ali!” Martha said happy to see her. They hugged “this is Brannigan and his wife Valerie”, Martha said introducing her friend to the two other people that were also standing there.

“Pleased to meet you both”

“Likewise”, Valerie said.

“The Doctor spoke very fondly of you”, Brannigan added.

“Really? That’s...nice”

“We’d better get inside. He’s waiting for us”, Martha said.

“Right”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Doctor?” the Time Lord heard Alyssa call. He left Novice Hame standing by Face of Boe’s tank. The second he saw Alyssa standing next to Martha, the Doctor strode over and pulled the red head into a hug.

“I’m aright. I’m not hurt”, Alyssa said when he drew back studying her face for an injuries.

“There’s someone I want you two to meet”, he said “Ali, Martha this is Novice Hame and the Face of Boe”, the Doctor said introducing his companions to the others.

“Hello Boe”, Alyssa said to the large head.

 _Hello Firefly. Been a while. You’ve gotten more beautiful since the last time_.

_“Thank you”_

_I’m glad I got to see you one more time before I go_

“Don’t say that Boe”, Alyssa said aloud.

“Say what?”  Martha asked.

“He’s dying”, Alyssa replied.

“No, don't say that. Not old Boe. Plenty of life left”, the Doctor said. Suddenly a large crack appeared in the tank then without warning it broke. The four of them backed off as Boe fell out of his tank.

“It's good to breathe the air once more”, he said.

“Who is he?” Martha asked.

“I don't even know. Legend says the Face of Boe has lived for billions of years. Isn't that right? And you're not about to give up now”, the Doctor said kneeling by Boe.

“Everything has its time. You know that, old friend, better than most”

“The legend says more”, Novice Hame added.

“Don't. There's no need for that”, the Doctor said. He wasn’t ready to lose Boe just yet.

“It says that the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveller”

“Yeah, but not yet. Who needs secrets, eh?”

“I have seen so much. Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind, as you are the last of yours, Doctor”

“That's why we have to survive. Both of us. Don't go”

_Look after the Doctor Firefly. He’s going to need you._

_“I will Jack. I promise”_

“I must. But know this, Time Lord. You are not alone”, Boe said before breathing out for one last time. Novice Hame wept when Boe closed his eyes.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually they left the Senate building and got back to the under-city where the TARDIS was. “All closed down”, the Doctor said looking around at the empty booths.

“Happy?” Martha asked.

“Happy happy. New New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs. Cats in charge. Come on, time we were off”

“But what did he mean, the Face of Boe? You're not alone”, Alyssa asked. She still couldn’t quite believe that she’d seen Jack again after all that time.

“I don't know”, the Doctor replied.

“You've got me and Ali. Is that what he meant?”

“I don't think so. Sorry”

“Then what?”

“Doesn't matter. Back to the Tardis, off we go”, the Doctor said evading her question. Martha isn’t happy with him avoiding her questions. She picked up a fallen chair and sat down.

“All right, are you staying?” the Doctor asked when he and Alyssa heard the scrape of the chair and turned around.

“Till you talk to me properly, yes. He said last of your kind. What does that mean?”

“Martha the Doctor doesn’t want to talk about it”, Alyssa said.

“It really doesn't matter”, the Doctor added.

“You don't talk. You never say. Why not?” Martha demanded.

_Fast falls the eventide._

“It's the city”, Alyssa said hearing the start of a song in the air.

_The darkness deepens_

“They're singing”, Martha added.

_Lord, with me abide._

_When other helpers fail_

“I lied to you, because I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else”, the Doctor said

“What happened?” Alyssa asked. In the time she’d known him they’d never spoken about his people.

_Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day_

The Doctor righted two chairs and sat down on one. Alyssa sat on the other. “There was a war. A Time War. The last Great Time War”, the Doctor said. He decided that it was time Alyssa knew what happened to his people. “My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song…”


	33. After New Earth

“I’m hungry do either of you want something to eat?” Alyssa asked as they entered the blue box.

“What are you planning on doing?”

“I thought I’d try my hand at pancakes”, Alyssa replied and headed towards the kitchen. Martha stopped the Doctor from following her. She needed to talk to him privately.

“You really care about Ali don’t you?”

“I do. She’s a good friend”

“But you like her more than a friend”

“Martha, Ali has a boyfriend remember?”

“I know. However, it was her you kissed on the moon…”

“That was to save a thousand lives. It meant nothing”

“And the way you talked about her in Brannigan’s car seemed like she means a lot more to you than a good friend. I haven’t know either of you for very long but I can tell there’s something between you two. I believe you love her”, Martha said and with that she left.

The Doctor stood there thinking about what she said. He did care for Alyssa, she after all was the one who helped him when he was at a low point from losing Rose. The Time Lord thought about how he felt much happier with Alyssa around and that every time she kissed him on the cheek always seemed to make him smile. He knew what it felt like to be in love, he’d felt that way about Rose. But did he feel that way about Alyssa?

The woman was rather beautiful with her red hair and emerald green eyes. The Doctor remembered the day in the week after the convention, the day that Alyssa nearly died. _I would never have forgiven myself if I lost her_ he thought.

 _I believe you love her_ Martha’s voice echoed in his head. Alyssa meant a lot to him that was true. He couldn’t imagine the woman not being in his life, or at least in this particular regeneration. Meanwhile the red head was in the kitchen with Martha making pancakes. “What pancakes are you making?”  Martha asked.

“Banana. I can make different ones for you if you like”

“No Banana ones are fine. Can I ask you a question Ali?”

“You just did”, Alyssa replied glancing at Martha “of course you can”, she added.

“How did you and the Doctor meet?”

“Remember I told you that I had a bad experience with a vampire?”

“Yeah, you said it nearly killed you twice”

“Well the Doctor was the one who saved me both times”, Alyssa said she then told Martha the whole story as she was making the pancakes.

“How did you stop that Carrionite from touching Peter and yourself?” Martha asked curious.

“I have psychic powers”

“Like mind reading?”

“No at least I don’t think I can. I’ve never tried it. The most I can do is sense people’s emotions and feelings. Plus I have telekinesis”, Alyssa replied setting the mixture aside.

“Where you born with it?”

“Yes. Well at least the sensing emotions was inherited. My grandmother Emma Grayling was an Empathic Psychic and she passed on that gift to me”

“What about the telekinesis?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve only discovered that particular ability recently after going to a convention with the Doctor. There was guy who offered a ‘unique experience’”, she said putting air quotes around unique experience “turns out it was a trap”. Alyssa sat leant against the counter and told her what happened omitting the little detail about the Doctor kissing her.

“Sounds like you’ve been through quite a bit”

“That’s an understatement. To be honest I never would’ve been able to cope with it on my own. I’m glad the Doctor helped me”

“So you two are close then”

“I suppose you could say that. We’ve been through quite a bit together”

“How do you feel about him?”

“What do you mean Martha? How do I feel about him as a friend?”

“Yeah”

“I like him. He’s caring and kind. The Doctor acts like a child sometimes; occasionally says the weirdest things but always knows how to make me laugh. He doesn’t judge me like when I took him to my grans grave stone so I could talk to it. He actually talked to her as well. Ben would never do that, he wouldn’t even come with me to see her. I feel I can tell him anything. In fact I did tell him something that even my own mother doesn’t know. I trust him completely Martha. Meeting him was one of the best things that has happened to me. To be honest I can’t imagine a life without him”

Martha listened to what Alyssa said. It was clear to her that Alyssa cared about the Doctor too. “Do you love him?” she asked. Alyssa nearly spilled the pancake mix as she poured it into the pan as Martha asked that question. That was the last thing she expected the woman to ask.

“Martha I’m with Ben”, Alyssa replied continuing to pour out the mixture.

“That’s not what I’m asking”

“I know what you’re asking”, Alyssa said carefully placing the pan onto the hob and turned on the heat “I like the Doctor. He is my friend. I’d even consider him to be my best friend despite knowing him for a short time”. She kept her focus on the pan so Martha couldn’t see her blushing cheeks as she was thinking about the kiss on the moon. Once she’d gotten over the surprise of it, she found that she actually liked it despite telling the Doctor that it was no big deal. _Ali you have a boyfriend who loves you and who you love back. You need to stop these thoughts right now_ a voice scolded in her head. It kinda sounded like Ellie.

“Hey Sexy could you tell the Doctor that the pancakes are ready?” Alyssa asked minutes later.

**_Ok Alyssa_ **

“Why do you call the TARDIS Sexy?” Martha asked as Alyssa plated up the pancakes.

“Because she is the sexiest blue box in all whole universe. She likes her name”

“How do you know?”

“She talks to me in my head”, Alyssa replied “Ah Doctor finally. Here’s your pancake”, she said pushing the plate across the table after he came in.

“Thanks Ali”

The trio tucked into the pancakes Alyssa had made. “These are really good”, Martha commented.

“I agree. Are you sure you haven’t made these before?”

“No. My mother made them on Pancake Day every year. She’d try and make them from scratch but she’ll always end up burning them. We’d have pancake mix instead”, Alyssa explained. She gathered up the plates “I’ll wash these up. Why don’t you pick another destination we could visit”, she said taking them to the sink “maybe you could pick somewhere Martha. You’ve got all of time and space to choose from”.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Alyssa washed up the dishes she checked her phone. She had an email from the museum who’d offered her a job. They wanted to have an informal meeting the day after the hospital incident. _Looks like I’m heading back home_ she thought tapping out a reply. “Ali you ready to go on another adventure?”

“Can’t. I received an email from the British Museum. They want to have a meeting with me”, Alyssa replied.

“What about?” the Doctor asked.

“I don’t know. It could just be so I can meet the people I’m going to working with in mid-April”, Alyssa replied.

“So back to 24th March 2008?”

“25th actually. Around 10pm”, Alyssa said. The Doctor put in into the console and held on as the box shook like it always did.

“I guess this is goodbye then Ali”, Martha said.

“No not goodbye. I don’t like goodbyes, I prefer see you later. The Doctor can explain why. So I’ll see you both later, you too Sexy”, Alyssa said patting the console before picking up her purse. She stopped at the door when she remember that she hadn’t given the Doctor the souvenir she bought him. Alyssa turned around and walked back up the ramp “I got you this when I was on holiday. I hope you like it”, she said handing the wrapped item over “see you later spaceman”.

The Doctor and Martha watched the red head leave the TARDIS. Once she’d left, the Time Lord unwrapped the package. The item Alyssa got him was a silver fob watch. A note was with it.

_Doctor_

_A little something to say thank you._

_I hope you like it. I especially like the inscription inside._

_Your brilliant Ali_

The Doctor opened the watch and saw the inscription on the inside of the lid.

_Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend._


	34. Surprise invite

Alyssa stood patiently near the help desk of the British Museum while she waited for Mr Watkins, the man she was meeting with. “Hello Miss Palmer, I’m Mr Watkins”, man said when he approached her.

“Pleased to meet you sir”, Alyssa said shaking his hand.

“Likewise. I’ll show you the labs and conservation rooms. Follow me please”

Alyssa walked alongside the man as he took her to an area off limits to visitors. She had quick tours around the different labs and conservation rooms. There Alyssa met different members of the conservation teams. “Miss Palmer this is Jenna Mackenzie, a pictorial conservationist. You’ll be working with her when you start next month”

“Nice to meet you Miss Palmer”

“It’s Alyssa but you can call me Ali if you like”, Alyssa said shaking Jenna’s hand.

“We just received a painting that needs a little repair work and we were wondering if you wanted to start working here earlier than the agreed date”, Mr Watkins said.

“I’d love to but I’ve got to hand in my resignation to my boss first”

“I understand. You may stay here for the rest of the day if you like. I’m sure Jenna will be happy to answer any questions you have”

“Of course I would”, Jenna said.

“Then I’ll leave you both to it”, Mr Watkins said and left.

“I heard about your friend Ellie on the news. I’m sorry for your loss”

“Thank you”

“I think it’s quite brave of you to still come and work here after your friend passed. I know that you both were going to work here”

“It’s what Ellie would’ve wanted me to do. We…” Alyssa trailed off when she noticed part of a painting that was under a cloth. She carefully pulled it off and saw a Van Gogh painting underneath. “That’s Sunflowers. Painted by Vincent in 1888. This is the third version out of seven I think”, she said picking it up “this is the paining that needed the repairs then?”

“Yes. I take it you’re a fan of Van Gogh?”

“I am. He’s my favourite painter”

“What’s your favourite painting of his?”

“Starry Night hands down. Who is your favourite painter?”

“I don’t really have a favourite but Renoir has done some nice ones”

“Yeah I suppose he has. So this painting needs to be repaired. Is there a deadline for it?”

“One week next Monday”

“Is it possible that I could make a start today?”

“I don’t have any problem with that. I had already filled the cracks in they just need to be painted”

“That sounds simple enough. How come you haven’t done it if you don’t mind me asking?”

“No I don’t mind. I was going to start this morning but I was then put on yet another project”, she said geusturing to the painting on the easel.

“Let me guess Mr Watkins?”

“Yep”

“Well I can get to work on this if you wanna get back to your own painting”

“Thanks.  Here’s a list of colours of oil paints that a practically the same as the ones used in the painting”, Jenna said handing over a piece of paper “everything you need is over the other side of the room. Give me a shout if you need anything”

“I will”, Alyssa said. She put on an apron and pulled her hair up before getting the paints on the list. Alyssa set up the painting on another easel and looked to see where the filler was on. When she found it, she started to paint over the filler using the correct paints.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wow you’ve done a fair bit”, Jenna commented when she came over to take a look when it got to lunch time.

“Really?” Alyssa asked sitting back to take a look “blimey. I didn’t even realise”.

“That happens when you get really involved. It’s happened to me several times. I just came over to let you know that you can go for lunch”

“Thanks. How long do I have?”

“About an hour”

“I’ll be back here for then”, Alyssa said. She knew that there was a little café not too far away where she could pick up a sandwich.

“Excuse me Miss Palmer”, the woman at the help desk said as she went past.

“Yes?” Alyssa said

“This is for you”, the woman said holding out and envelope.

“Thank you”

Alyssa walked out of the museum and opened the envelope. Inside was an invitation.

_Miss Alyssa Palmer_

_You are cordially invited to attend an event at Lazarus Laboratories on 26 th March_

_Dress code: formal_

_You may bring one additional guest with you._

Alyssa rung up Ben to see if he would be interested “hey Ben”

“Hey babe whats up?”

“I just got this invite to an event tomorrow and I’m allowed to bring a guest. Wanna be my plus one?”

“I’d love to but I’ve got plans then. But I’m free tonight. Fancy going out?”

“Yeah I would”

“Great! I’ll let you know where we are going later”

“Ok. Love you”

“Love you too” The red head then rung up Steve.

“Hey Ali. How come you’re not at work?”

“Oh I’m at the museum. They wanted to have a meeting with me about a project they’d like me to work on”

“Really? Anything interesting?”

“Just a repair job on a painting. But that’s not why I’m calling. I got an invite to an event tomorrow evening and I was wondering if you wanted to be my prince charming?”

“What about Ben?”

“Apparently he’s busy”

“Well then I would be happy to be your plus one tomorrow”

“Great. Oh and you’ll need to wear a suit. It’s a formal event”

“Will do. When is this supposed to take place?”

Alyssa looked at the invite “7pm”

“Then I’ll swing by your place say 6:30 tomorrow”

“I’ll see you then”

“Cool. Goodbye for now Cinderella”, Steve said and then hung up.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later…

Alyssa sat at the table in the Pizza Hut waiting for Ben to show. It had been half an hour and he still hadn’t shown up. While she waited, she thought about what she’d told Martha in answer to her question on her feelings towards the Doctor.

_~flashback~_

_“I like him. He’s caring and kind. The Doctor acts like a child sometimes; occasionally says the weirdest things but always knows how to make me laugh. He doesn’t judge me like when I took him to my grans grave stone so I could talk to it. He actually talked to her as well. Ben would never do that, he wouldn’t even come with me to see her. I feel I can tell him anything. In fact I did tell him something that even my own mother doesn’t know. I trust him completely Martha. Meeting him was one of the best things that has happened to me. To be honest I can’t imagine a life without him”_

_~end~_

Everything she told her was true. They’d been through so much together in a short space of time that she really couldn’t imagine a life without the Time Lord in it. _Do you love him?_ Martha’s voice echoed in her head.

Did she? Well there were some things she definitely loved about him. His ramblings being one of them. She also loved his childlike enthusiasm, it never failed to put a smile on her face. And that kiss on the moon… Alyssa blushed thinking about it. Despite telling the Doctor it was no big deal, she secretly liked it.

Alyssa shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. It wasn’t appropriate especially when she had a boyfriend. Speaking of… she glanced at her phone and saw that she had a text from Ben. Alyssa frowned at the message. He cancelled. Again! _Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you couldn’t make it? Instead of making me wait an hour_ she thought as she typed out a message. She was really getting fed up of him doing this. He was the one who set it up this time. Alyssa sighed, got up and walked out of the restaurant. She wandered to her car unaware that she was being watched.


	35. Lazarus experiment part 1

A day later…

“You look really pretty Ali”, Sarah said when the young woman came downstairs wearing a deep blue knee length dress.

“Thanks”

“So where are you heading again?”

“Lazarus Laboratories”, Alyssa replied pulling on her small heeled shoes. The bell rang and Sarah answered the door.

“Steve you’re looking very smart”

“Thank you Mrs Palmer”

“He’s my plus one”, Alyssa explained “I’ll be back later”.

“Have fun you two”

“Your carriage awaits my lady”, Steve said walking down the path and opened the passenger door of his car.

“Why thank you kind sir”, Alyssa said getting in.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Lazarus Laboratories~

“Oh nibbles! I love nibbles!” the Doctor said happily eating one of them the ones he took from a tray of a passing waiter.

 “Hello”, Tish said smiling as she approached Martha and her friend.

“Tish”, Martha greeted hugging her little sister.

“You look great. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?”

“Very”

“And two nights out this week. That's dangerously close to a social life”

“If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns”, Martha joked.

“You might, actually. You should keep an eye out for photographers. And Mum, she's coming too. Even dragging Leo along with her”

“Leo in black tie?” Martha said incredulously “That I must see” When Tish glanced at the Doctor, Martha introduced him “This is, uh, the Doctor”

“Hello”, the Doctor said shaking her hand.

“Is he with you?” Tish asked.

“Yeah”

“But he's not on the list. How did he get in?”

“He's my plus one”

“Miss Palmer?” Tish asked noticing a red haired woman coming up with a brown haired man. 

“Yes but you can call me Ali. I’ve got an invitation”, Alysa said showing her the invite.

“I know and this is…”

“Steve my plus one”

“Pleased to meet you both. I’m Tish”

“She’s my sister”, Martha explained.

“If you don’t mind me asking Tish how come I got an invite?”

“Mr Saxon requested that you be invited”, Tish replied.

“Mr Saxon? The guy who’s running for Prime Minster? Why would he want you to be invited here?” Steve asked confused.

“I have no idea Steve”

“So, this Lazarus, he's your boss?” the Doctor asked.

“Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff”

“She's in the PR department”, Martha added.

“I'm head of the PR department, actually”, Tish corrected.

“You're joking”

“I put this whole thing together”, Tish said proudly.

“So do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight?” the Doctor asked looking at the large white container surrounded by four pillars “That looks like it might be a sonic microfield manipulator”

“He's a science geek. I should have known. Got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later”

“Science geek? What does that mean?” the Doctor asked slightly confused by the term.

“That you’re obsessively enthusiastic about it”, Alyssa replied.

"Oh, nice”, the Doctor said sounding happy about that.

“Shall we grab a drink?” Steve suggested.

“Yeah why not”, Alyssa said. They headed over to the table holding the drinks, the Doctor watching them go. “You wanna get out of here?”

“Why? This could be interesting Ali. The Doctor sounded interested”

Alyssa glanced over at the Time Lord “he did. Ok here’s the deal. If this doesn’t get interesting in the next hour, I’m leaving”

“Deal”, Steve agreed and they shook on it. Professor Lazarus taps on his glass for attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I am going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever”

Lazarus goes inside the chamber. A pair of lady scientists start up the machine and press a big red button. The four columns start to oscillate and rotate around the chamber as they pour energy into it. Everyone watched in anticipation when suddenly an alarm started sounded. “Ali you need to stay put”, Steve said stopping her from joining the Doctor. Martha pulled the door open and a young Lazarus stepped out.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus. I am seventy six years old and I am reborn!” he declared. All the guests applauded.

“I’d say that this had just gotten interesting”

“Are you going to stay a bit longer then?”

“Yep”, Alyssa said looking at the now much younger Lazarus getting a very bad feeling. Something was going to happen, something bad.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa watched the Doctor and Martha go over to where Lazarus was talking with an older woman. She relaxed and reached out to see if she could sense anything different about the man. She gasped when she felt like she’d been hit by a train. “Ali are you ok?” Steve asked noticing that she’d gone pale.

“I’m fine”, she said shakily. What she’d sensed from Lazarus wasn’t human. Far from it.

“No you’re not. You’ve gone a white as a sheet”

“I’m fine”, Alyssa insisted after taking several breaths to calm herself down. “Lazarus on the other hand isn’t”

“What do you mean? He looks fine”

“He’s not. Trust me”

She waited for Lazarus to walk off before going over to the Doctor and Martha. Steve followed her still worried for his friend. “Oh, he's out of his depth. No idea of the damage he might have done”, they heard the Doctor say.

“I do”, Alyssa said making the Time Lord and trainee doctor turn around “I sensed it”

What do you mean you sensed it?” Steve asked confused.

“I’ll tell you later”

“I think we should do our own tests. Find out what he’s done to himself”, the Doctor suggested.

“Well it’s a good thing I’ve just collected a DNA sample, isn’t it?” Martha said holding up the hand Lazarus had kissed.

 “Oh, Martha Jones, you're a star”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Laboratory~

“Amazing”, the Doctor said looking at the strand of DNA on the screen.

“What?” Martha asked.

“Lazarus's DNA”

“I can't see anything different”, Martha said

“Me neither”, Alyssa said although she knew he wasn’t just human anymore.  Then the image shifted on the screen.

“Oh, my God. Did that just change? But it can't have”, Martha said gaping at the screen.

“Yet it did”

“It's impossible. Ali that’s complelety impossible”, Steve said.

“And that's two impossible things we've seen so far tonight. Don't you love it when that happens?”

“That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns”

“Hypersonic sound waves to destabilise the cell structure, then a metagenic programme to manipulate the coding in the protein strands. Basically, he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate”, the Doctor explained.

“But they're still mutating now”, Alyssa said getting worried. His DNA had confirmed what she’d already knew.

“Because he missed something. Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilise. Something that's trying to change him”

“Change him into what?” Steve asked.

“A monster”, Alyssa said quietly thinking about what she’d sensed. The Doctor, Steve and Martha looked at her “he’s going to change into a monster”

“We better find him before that happens”, the Doctor said “can you sense him?” he asked Alyssa. She closed her eyes and focused. The red head flinched when she sensed him. She hated what she sensed.

“He’s on the roof”, Alyssa said opening her eyes.

“Ok. Steve take Ali back to reception”, the Doctor instructed. Steve nodded and led Alyssa away. Neither males wanted her to be anywhere near Lazarus after what Alyssa said he was going to become.

“I think we should leave right now”, Steve said when they reached reception.

“I can’t”

“Why not? You said it yourself, Lazarus is going to become a monster. I don’t think the Doctor would want you around when that happens”

“I’m still not going”, Alyssa said firmly “if you want to go then fine but I’m staying. Besides if the Doctor needs help I’m here to give it”

 “No offense Ali but what could you possibly do to help against what Lazarus might become?”

“It’s complicated”

“Can you uncomplicate it for me?”

Alyssa opened her mouth to reply when the lights started to flicker. “That’s not good”, she said.


	36. Lazarus experiment part 2

The Doctor tossed his sonic to Martha and told her what setting to use before jumping onto the podium “Listen to me! You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!” he shouted.

“Don't be ridiculous. The biggest danger here is choking on an olive”, woman said not believing him.

“You should listen to him. If he says you’re in danger then you should believe him”, Alyssa chimed in. Then the mutated Lazarus decided to make an appearance, jumping down from above. Chaos broke out as the guests started running to the exits which were locked.

“Ali move!” Steve shouted pushing her out of the way when a table went flying.

“Steve!” Alyssa exclaimed when it hit him. “Steve get up. Come on”, she said shaking his shoulder. As she was trying to wake her friend Martha had managed to the exit door open with the sonic and everyone rushed out.

“Lazarus! Leave them alone”, the Doctor called when the mutant turned his attention to Alyssa and Steve. “What's the point? You can't control it. The mutation's too strong. Killing those people won't help you. You're a fool. A vain old man who thought he could defy nature. Only Nature got her own back, didn't she? You're a joke, Lazarus! A footnote in the history of failure!” the Doctor taunted before sprinting down the corridor. Thankfully Lazarus chased after him. Martha hurries to Alyssa and the now groggy Steve.

“Ali?” Steve asked slowly sitting up.

“I’m here”

“He's got concussion”, she said after looking in his eyes and seeing that they were unfocused. She put some ice in a napkin “This'll keep the swelling down”, Martha added.

“Thank you Martha”, Alyssa said placing it on the back of his head as they hauled Steve to his feet. Between the two of them they managed to get him to the main entrance where the guests where crowed around the main doors. Martha left Steve leaning against Alyssa as she hopped over the security desk and used the sonic on the controls. The guests were overjoyed by the doors opening. “Martha take Steve with you. I have to help the Doctor”, Alyssa said to the trainee doctor.

“You better take this”, Martha said giving her the sonic “good luck Ali”

“Thanks. I have a feeling I’m gonna need it”, she said and ran off leaving her friend with Martha.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Now where would the Doctor…” Alyssa trailed off when she heard the explosion “just follow the explosion Ali”, she said to herself and took off running in the direction it came from. She ran into him in one of the corridors.  

“What are you doing here?” the Doctor asked.

“I was coming to return your sonic. Figured you might need it and maybe my help too”, Alyssa replied giving him the sonic back.

“How did you…?”

“I heard the explosion. I guessed it was you”

“I blasted Lazarus”

“Did you kill him?” Alyssa asked. Her answer came in the form of Lazarus crashing down the hall towards them.

“More sort of annoyed him, I'd say”, the Doctor replied.

“Run. I’ll slow him down”, Alyssa said turning to face the mutant lumbering towards them.

“Ali…”

“Just move it!” Alyssa shouted at him but the Doctor didn’t go. She clenched her fists tightly as she stopped Lazarus. Her pupils dilated as she blasted Lazarus with psychic energy. “Ow ruddy headaches”, she mumbled swaying on her feet “I thought I told you to go”.

“I wasn’t going to leave you”, the Doctor said putting his arm around her waist to support her “But now we need to go”.

“Couldn’t agree more”, Alyssa said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What now? We've just gone round in a circle”, Alyssa asked when they got back to the reception, Lazarus close behind despite being pushed back.

“We can't lead him outside. Come on, get in”, the Doctor said leading her to the sonic microfield manipulator chamber. The pair get in slightly cramped due to the lack of space.

“Are we hiding?”

“No, he knows we're here. But this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us”

“But we're trapped”, Alyssa said.

“Well, yeah, that's a slight problem”

“You mean you don't have a plan?”

“Yes, the plan was to get inside here”

“Then what?”

“Well, then I'd come up with another plan”

“In your own time, then”, Alyssa said. She was aware of Lazarus circling the capsule. Alyssa took several breaths “get away freak”, she muttered before releasing energy. It sent a shockwave through the capsule hitting Lazarus and tossing him back several feet. “You better think of something fast because that’s gonna have ticked him off”, she said wincing from the dull ache in her head.

The Doctor managed to get his sonic out and slid down to the floor. Alyssa shuffled as far as she could out of the way. “You might want to speed up a little”, she said sensing Lazarus coming towards the capsule.

“I’m going as fast as I can”, the Doctor said using his sonic on the exposed wires that were under the panel.  Alyssa used her powers again this time she groaned. “I’m almost there”, the Doctor said.

“Good”, Alyssa said tiredly struggling to stay upright.

 “I’m nearly done Ali. Just stay awake”, the Doctor said. He heard the exhaustion in her voice and worked quicker. A blue light then fills the capsule.

“What’s happening?”

“Sounds like he's switched the machine on”

“Then please tell me you’re done”, Alyssa said.

“Just one more”, the Doctor said pulling a wire. Alyssa could feel the blast of energy moving out from the capsule. The light faded and the whirring sound stopped. The Doctor got up from the floor and opened the door.

 “Really shouldn't take that long just to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice”, he said getting out of the capsule.

“Ya think?” Alyssa said sarcastically following him out. “Doctor I’m kinda feeling a little… a little…” the Doctor caught her when her legs gave out. He picked her up and carried her out of the building.

“Ali! Is she ok?” Steve asked coming up to the Doctor as he came out carrying the red head.

“She fine. Feeling a little faint”, he replied.

“My car is just around the corner”, Steve said and led the Doctor to where he parked.

“How’s your head?”

“Bit sore and I’ve got a bit of a head ache but other than that I’m fine”, Steve replied opening the back door of his car “I’ll get her home safe”

“Thanks Steve”, the Doctor said carefully placing the woman on the back seat.

“It was nice to meet you Doctor”

“Likewise”, the Time Lord said. He watched Steve drive off before he went to re-join Martha.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What the hell?” Steve exclaimed slamming his foot on the break as an ambulance overtook him and came screeching to a halt. He watched as what he could only describe as a creature from a horror movie burst out of the back. Steve could only sit there frozen as the creature came towards his car. As it came closer he heard as shout from the backseat.

“No!” his eyes widened as the creature aka Lazarus was flung away. Steve turned and saw Alyssa sitting forward slightly, hand raised and breathing heavily.

“That’s what you meant by complicated”

“Yeah. I’ll explain later Steve but for now stay in the car”, Alyssa said getting out as Lazarus got up. Instead of going towards the car, he ran away. “Just stay in the car!” she called back chasing after him.

“Steve? Where’s Ali?” the Doctor asked running up to the car.

“She went after him, Lazarus”, he replied.

“Damn it Ali”, the Doctor said angry that she would go after Lazarus on her own. He pulled out his sonic and starts scanning the area. 

“Where's he gone?” Martha asked.

“That way. The church. Let’s hope we find Ali on the way”, the Doctor said and began to run again and Martha followed him. Steve got out of the car and joined the chase. He didn’t think it was a good idea to go after that thing but Alyssa went after it. She was his friend and she was putting herself in danger.

As Alyssa ran after Lazarus she stumbled, falling to her knees. She winced when she pushed herself up as her wrist was still in the cast. “Great lost him”, Alyssa grumbled.

“Ali!” she heard four voices call. She turned around and saw her friends coming up the street.

“Why did you go after Lazarus?” the Doctor asked.

“Because he needs to be stopped”

“You shouldn’t have run off on your own…”

“You can yell at me all you want later but right now we need to find him. Preferably before he kills someone else. Do you know where he is?” she could’ve tracked him down with her sense but her head was still hurting quite a bit.

The Doctor checked his sonic. “He’s at the church”, he replied “Ali…”

“No I won’t go back to the car. I’m going with you and Martha”, she said interrupting him “so can we go stop Lazarus now?”

The Doctor knew that it was no good to argue “yes. Let’s go”

“How come you’re here Steve?” Alyssa asked as they approached to the Church where Lazarus was apparently hiding out.

“I wasn’t about to let you go monster hunting on your own. Even if you do have Jedi powers”, Steve replied.

“I wish they were Jedi powers. Maybe my head wouldn’t hurt so much when I used them”, Alyssa said walking up the steps. The group entered the church looking around for Lazarus. They found him sitting behind the altar with a cloth wrapped around him. 

“I came here before, a lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here, just a child, the sound of planes and bombs outside”

“The Blitz”, the Doctor said.

“You've read about it”

“I was there”

“You're too young”, Lazarus scoffed. He then laughed. His laughter turned into gasps of pain as he fought to control the mutation. “In the morning, the fires had died, and I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenceless. I would arm myself, fight back, and defeat it”

“That's what you were trying to do today?” Alyssa asked.

“That's what I did today”, Lazarus corrected.

“What about the other people who died?” Steve asked.

“They were nothing. I changed the course of history”

“Any of them might have done too. You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that”

“No, Doctor. Avoiding death, that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more successful”

“Look at yourself. You're mutating! You've no control over it. You call that a success?” the Doctor said to him.

“I call it progress. I'm more now that I was. More than just an ordinary human”, Lazarus said proudly “just like you”, he added looking at Alyssa. “How did you do that? Push me back like that?”

“I used my head”, Alyssa replied vaguely.

“He's going to change again any minute”, Martha said quietly as Lazarus convulsed.

“I know. If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work”

“Up there?” Alyssa asked in a hushed tone looking up at the tower which they were standing under.

“You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look”

“I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone”

“That's a price worth paying”, Lazarus answered back.

“Is it?”

“I will feed soon”

“I'm not going to let that happen”

“You've not been able to stop me so far”, Lazarus said. Alyssa moved around behind him.

“Leave him, Lazarus! He's old and bitter. I thought you had a taste for fresher meat”, she taunted before making a beeline for the stairs. Martha ran after her followed by Lazarus. “What are you doing?” Alyssa asked as they ran up the spiral staircase.

“Keeping you out of trouble”, Martha replied. As they ran they heard Lazarus screaming. 

“He's changed again. Keep moving. We've got to lead him up”, Alyssa said and the pair kept going.

“Where are they?” Steve asked as he and the Doctor looked for the two woman.

“Martha?! Ali!” the Doctor called. The brunette and red head looked down at him from an upper level. “Take him to the top. The very top of the bell tower, do you hear me?!”

“You got it!” Alyssa called back. 

“Um Ali”, Martha said noticing Lazarus was now making his way along the passage in his mutant form.

“Run!” Alyssa shouted and off they went again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is where the Doctor said to bring him”, Alyssa said when they got to the bell tower. 

“Ok now what?” Martha asked as they backed away from the entrance. 

“Now we wait”

“Ladies”, Lazarus hissed entering the bell tower.

“Stay behind me. If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs. You should have enough time”, Alyssa said to Martha.

“But…”

“Just do it, Martha!” Alyssa didn’t care what happened to her as long as Martha was safe. Lazarus swung his tail trying to hit them.

“You better do something fast”, Steve said to the Doctor as they both heard the commotion above. The Doctor starts to play the organ. In the bell tower Lazarus hits part of the wall, knocking Alyssa over the edge. She gave a scream as she tries to hold on, not easy when one hand is in a cast.

“Doctor do something!” Steve said looking up and seeing his friend hold on for dear life.

“We need to turn this up to eleven”, the Doctor said pulling out his sonic from the organ, turning up the volume before resuming playing. Steve clapped his hands against his ears as the sound almost became deafening. Alyssa couldn’t do anything to block out the noise as she had to hold on. The mutated Lazarus topples from the bell tower, crashing to the church floor. Alyssa’s fingers slip just as Martha grabs her wrist. She pulls her friend up onto the walkway.

“Martha? Ali?” the Doctor called hoping that they were both ok. The two men were relieved when Alyssa called back down saying that she and Martha were fine.

“Thanks Martha”, Alyssa said. 

“Ali!”  Steve said hugging his friend tightly when she and Martha joined himself and the Doctor.

“Steve I can’t breathe”, Alyssa gasped out.

“Sorry”, he apologised and let her go.

“I didn't know you could play”, Martha said to the Doctor.

“Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up”

“Hmm. especially about playing loud”, Alyssa commented.

“Sorry?” the Doctor asked leaning forward pretending he didn’t hear her. Alyssa and Martha laugh.

“I don’t know about you three but bed sounds really good right now”, Alyssa said.

“Then we better get you home. Do you two need a lift?” Steve asked the Doctor and Martha as they left the church.

“No I’ve got my car”

“I guess this goodbye then”, Steve said.

“I’ll see you two later”, Alyssa said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sorry it went a little weird tonight”, Alyssa said when Steve pulled up outside her home.

“That’s ok. It was far more interesting than your normal black tie event”

“Yeah it certainly was. I guess you have questions”

“I do but they can wait till tomorrow”

“Alright I’ll answer your questions tomorrow. Thank you for being my prince charming”, Alyssa said.

“Thanks for inviting me Cinderella, although Ariel would probably be better for you because of your red hair”

“Yeah it probably is. You should get home before your carriage turns into a pumpkin”, Alyssa said getting out.

“I will. See you tomorrow at work?”

“Yep. Goodnight Steve”, Alyssa said before going up to her front door and the building.

 “Hey honey how did tonight go?” Sarah asked coming into her daughter’s bedroom.

“It went fine. Bit more interesting than I expected it to be”

“I’m glad you had a good time. Night sweetheart”

“Night mum”, Alyssa said and Sarah left. The young woman took her hair out of its hairstyle. She was about to swap her dress for pj’s when her phone buzzed. It was from the Doctor.

_Look out the window_

Alyssa went to her window, pulling the curtain back and peered out. She smiled when she saw the Doctor standing in the back garden still wearing his tux. He gestured for her to come outside and Alyssa nodded. She slipped downstairs and out the back. “What are you doing here?”

“There’s something I wanted to show you”

“What?”

“It’s a surprise”, the Doctor said holding his hand out. Alyssa took it and he led her to where the TARDIS was parked. 


	37. So close, yet so far

“Can I open my eyes now?” Alyssa asked.

“Not yet”, the Doctor replied leading her through the Chinese garden. He’d taken her there after he had checked her wrist to make sure it had healed. Much to Alyssa’s delight he told her that she no longer had to wear the cast. It didn’t take her long to remove it.  The Doctor stopped when they reached the rotunda “ok now you can”.

Alyssa opened her eyes and saw that they were in the Chinese garden. It was slightly different though, for one it was night time and for another the rotunda was decorated with white fairy lights. “Why did you bring me here?”

“I figured since the event was kinda a disaster and I thought I’d make it up to you”, the Doctor replied. Well it wasn’t just for the Lazarus incident it was also for her ‘date’ or lack thereof the night before. Even though he wasn’t the one who’d cancelled on her, that was her _boyfriend_ Ben, the Doctor still felt the need to do something to make up for it as he didn’t like to see her upset. Which she was both that and annoyed when she walked out of the restaurant alone.

“Make it up to me? Doctor it wasn’t your fault. Lazarus was the one who decided to hack his genes turning himself into a monster”

“I still want to make it up to you”

“Ok. How are you going to do that?” Alyssa asked. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and turned it on. Music started to play.

“Miss Palmer can I have this dance?” the Doctor asked tucking his sonic away and holding his hand out to her.

“Yes Mr Smith, you can”, Alyssa said taking his hand.

_Heart beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

The pair danced around the rotunda in a slow dance.

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

The Doctor glanced down at Alyssa who was looking up at him. She gave him a small smile which he returned.

_Time stands still_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything take away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath_

_Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_One step closer_

_One step closer_

 

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

As the song drew to a close, their dancing changed to swaying on the spot. Alyssa rested her head against his chest closing her eyes. She listened to his hearts beating in a soothing rhythm. The Doctor laid his head on her shoulder, he too closed his eyes. “I have to go”, Alyssa said moving back “as much as I don’t want to this human needs sleep”, she added.

“You could stay here”, the Doctor offered.

“I’d love to but I have to work. I promised Steve I would answer his questions”, Alyssa said. She’d only taken a few steps when music started up again “is that your subtle way of asking for another dance?” Alyssa asked turning back.

“I didn’t do it”

“If it wasn’t you then I guess She did”

“One more dance?”

“Yeah why not”, Alyssa replied. She honestly didn’t mind dancing with him one more time but she knew that she had to get some sleep as she had to get up at a reasonable hour tomorrow. Alyssa took his hand and they started to dance again.

_You’re in my arms_

_And all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together_

_And when I’m with you_

_So close to feeling alive_

_Very true_ the Doctor thought. The young woman did make him feel that way especially after the first few days of knowing her.

_A life goes by_

_Romantic dreams will stop_

_So I bid mine goodbye_

_And never knew_

_So close was waiting_

_Waiting here with you_

_And now, forever, I know_

_All that I wanted to hold you_

_So close_

_So close to reaching_

_That famous happy end_

_Almost believing_

_This one's not pretend_

_Now you’re beside me_

_And look how far we’ve come_

_So far_

_We are_

_So close..._

As the pair danced Alyssa thought again about what Martha had asked her “ _Do you love him?_ ” she didn’t complelety deny it because she did feel something for him.

_Oh, how could I face the faceless days_

_If I should lose you now?_

At those words the Doctor tightened his grip on her slightly. He didn’t want to lose her, ever. 

_We’re so close to reaching_

_That famous happy end_

_Almost believing_

_This one's not pretend_

_Let’s go on dreaming_

_Though we know we are_

_So close_

_So close, and still_

_So far..._

When the song was over, the Doctor gently placed his hand on her cheek. Alyssa closed her eyes leaning into his touch. She opened them after the Doctor said her name.

“Yes?” Alyssa asked moving his hand away from her cheek.

“You look nice”

“Thank you”

“I meant to say something earlier…”

“That’s ok. Now I really do need to go. Goodnight Doctor”

“Goodnight Ali”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually the Doctor went back to the console room where he found Alyssa’s bracelet on the floor. _It must’ve fallen off without her realising it_ he thought picking it up. He decided to give it back to her tomorrow. The Doctor sat down on the captain’s chair holding the piece of jewellery.

 _“I believe you love her”_ Those words echoed around his mind. There wasn’t any denying that he felt something for her. Was it love? He’d loved Rose but never had the courage to tell her. Then he met Alyssa. Without knowing it she was helping him to slowly heal from his loss. Alyssa never pushed him to talk about Rose or his people which he was grateful for. The Doctor recalled her reaction to the TARDIS.

_~flashback~_

_Alyssa gaped at the wooden blue box that had been stashed inside. When she went in the police box her mouth dropped open at the sheer size of the room inside. “What?!” she exclaimed before rushing outside. Alyssa went around the blue box “This is impossible”, she said circling it again. The Doctor leant against the console waiting for her to come back in, most likely say what everyone always says. The red head entered the TARIDS still looking rather amazed._

_“Anything to say? About the size maybe?”_

_“It’s…it’s bigger on the inside!”_

~end~

Admittedly he had been slightly disappointed because she didn’t say it was bigger on the inside but then she was still awestruck by the inside. The Doctor then thought about the things he liked about her. The Doctor liked the way she stared at the star exploding and how she gazed at the Milky Way with a smile on her face.

_~flashback~_

_He watched the young woman’s green eyes widen at the point when the star exploded. “Whoa”, she breathed taking it all in “That was amazing!” she exclaimed._

_“Want to see the entire milky way?” he asked._

_“Yeah!” Alyssa replied enthusiastically jumping up. The Time Lord’s enthusiasm was definitely infectious. She was sure that if she’d been a normal human, his enthusiasm would still have had an effect on her._

_The Doctor also got up, closed the TARDIS doors before bounding over to the console. After a moment of the TARDIS jerking, the Doctor opened the doors to show the entire Milky Way in all its glory. Alyssa stood in the doorway gazing upon her home galaxy with a smile on her face._

~ _end~_

He also liked the way she laughed. The Doctor would do anything to hear it. He didn’t even mind when she dressed up and pretended to be him. When Alyssa kissed his cheek it made him smile. He told both her and Martha that the kiss he’d given the red head meant nothing but the truth was that it did. It wasn’t supposed to be anything other than a way to hold up the Judoon. However, he never expected to have liked it. As Alyssa was with Ben, the Doctor just played it as no big deal. He was relieved when Alyssa told him that the kiss was no big deal after he apologised for it. His thoughts turned to the reasons why he needed her. At first it was because he was afraid of falling apart like he had from losing Rose. As he got to know Alyssa, he needed her as a friend, someone to talk to. Someone to share in the adventures. Now the Doctor couldn’t imagine the rest of this regeneration without her.

The Time Lord then realised something. Martha was right. The only problem is that Alyssa is with Ben. _She’s better off with him even if he does cancel on their date once in a while. He could spend the rest of her life with her whereas I can’t_ he thought gripping the charm bracelet in his hand.


	38. Ali explains to Steve

"Are you ok Ali? You seemed distracted at work today" Steve asked as they walked back to her house. Alyssa suggested that he came over to hers so she could answer any questions that he had.

"Yeah I just had a lot on my mind", Alyssa replied.

"Not surprised that one customer was just rude"

"Tell me about it"

"But that's not what is distracting you", Steve said. He stopped the red head "you're not wearing your bracelet which is a first for you. Plus you also messed up a few drinks. Whats going on?"

"It's complicated", Alyssa replied. All day she had been thinking about the way she felt towards a certain two hearted alien. It didn't help that she had misplaced her bracelet which she figured was in the TARDIS with the Doctor.

"Like you Jedi powers complicated?"

"Kind of. That's going to be part of your questions isn't it?"

"Yep"

"You know I'm glad that Ben didn't come with me. He would've freaked out more than you did", Alyssa said unlocking the front door. "Right my mum isn't home at the moment so we can chat downstairs for a little bit", she added. Alyssa and Steve went into the living room and sat on the sofa. "Ok I promised that I would answer your questions but I have to warn you some of the answers may sound a little crazy. Are you sure you still want to know?"

"Yes Ali I do"

"Alright. Ask away"

"Where do I start?"

"Anywhere you want Steve"

"Tell me about your powers"

"For starters they're not Jedi powers, they're psychic. I inherited sensing of emotions and feelings emotions. My grandmother Emma Grayling was an Empathic Psychic and she passed on that gift to me”

“And the other? You know the one where you tossed Lazarus away”

“I don’t know about that one. I’ve only recently discovered it”

"You said it hurts to use them. How?"

"I get headaches. It's not so bad now but it used to be really painful. I don't get headaches every time I used them, just when I sent out a blast of energy"

"What else can you do? Besides throwing monsters backwards"

Alyssa stood up and raised her hand towards the cushions. Steve watched as it lifted up several inches and then lowered. "Cool telekinesis. Very Jean Grey. Can you read minds?"

"I don't know. I've never tried"

"Can we try now?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Steve", Alyssa replied "I might accidently hurt you, that's the last thing I want". That was her biggest fear with her powers, losing control and hurting someone she cared about. Alyssa very nearly did it when she almost skewered the Doctor with a knife.

"I understand. What about the Doctor?"

"What about him?"

"Does he have psychic powers too?"

"No he doesn't"

"How do you know him?"

"He saved my life", Alyssa replied absentmindedly rubbing her hand as she remembered.

"Hey earth to Ali", Steve said waving a hand in front of her face "you got distracted again"

"Sorry"

"Who is the Doctor to you?"

"He's a friend. A very good friend", Alyssa replied.

"He's not human is he?"

"What? Of course he is"

"Ali"

Alyssa sighed "ok, you're right. The Doctor isn't human. He's a Time Lord"

"He's an alien but he looks like a human"

"Actually we look Time Lord. They came first", Alyssa corrected "it's just something he said to me while explaining what he was", she added when Steve gave her a strange look.

"Tell me more"

"Are you sure?"

"Ali I want to know"

"Ok but you can't tell anyone else about this"

"I highly doubt anyone would believe me"

"Still you can't tell anyone", Alyssa said.

"Ali I promise", Steve said and held up his hand "scouts honour"

"You were never a scout", Alyssa said not believing him.

"You got me there. Still I promise I won't tell anyone about the Doctor"

"Ok", Alyssa said and she then told Steve everything that the Doctor had told her about the Time Lords with the exception of the Time War.

"Blimey you have a very interesting friend"

"Interesting is one way to put it. You seem to be taking this very well"

"That's only because I know you're not crazy. I do have one question…"

"One question? You mean after the 20 ish you just asked me"

"Yeah. Is the Doctor the reason why you were distracted today?" Steve asked "Ali I won't tell Ben. This can stay between us".

Alyssa hesitated before answering "Yes he is. I can't explain it Steve…"

"You like him. More than a friend"

"Honestly I don't know. We've been through so much together. I can't even imagine a life without him", Alyssa said her eyes widened when she realised what she'd just said. "God! I shouldn't even be feeling this way. It's wrong!" she exclaimed standing up.

"Why?"

"Why? Steve I'm with Ben that's why"

"You're not married to him Ali"

"I know it's just… I can't… I won't…” Alyssa stuttered. She was really torn between her relationship to Ben and her growing feelings for the Doctor.

Steve grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace "Ali I know you're with Ben and you have been with him for some time. But though you're unsure, why fight the tide? Don't think so much. Let your heart decide"

"Did you just quote a song from Mulan?" Alyssa asked.

"Maybe"

"You are such a girl sometimes you know that?"

"I've been told that before by my boyfriend"

"Wait you have a boyfriend? Since when?"

"I met him a couple of weeks ago"

"Really? Have you got a picture?" Alyssa asked. Steve got out his phone and showed her a picture of a blonde haired man.

"This is Danny"

"He's cute", Alyssa commented.

"Yeah he is. Just like the Doctor"

"You think the Doctor is cute?"

"Of course. Surely you must've noticed"

Alyssa shook her head "nope can't say that I have", she said trying to stop a blush from creeping onto her cheeks. Unfortunately she wasn't able to.

"So why are you blushing? Ali don't make me tickle it out of you"

"You're going to have to catch me first!" Alyssa said and took off.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Sarah came home she found her daughter and her friend on the living room floor. They were laughing and tickling each other. Alyssa stopped giggling when she saw her mother "hey mum", she said getting up.

"Hi Mrs Palmer", Steve said getting to his feet also.

"I won't ask what you were doing on the floor. What I will ask is do you want to stay for dinner Steve?"

"As much as I'd love to, I actually have plans"

"Ok well it's always nice to see you Steve. Ali…"

"Would you like me to make something or are you going to order in?"

"Do you mind making something?"

"Of course not. Let me show Steve out first", Alyssa replied.

"Ali you really should listen to your heart", Steve said when she opened the door for him.

"It's not a simple as that. Besides life isn't a fairy tale or a Disney movie"

"Says who? We are all stories in the end Ali, just make it a good one", Steve said before walking away.

Later Alyssa sat on the edge of her bed turning her TARDIS key over and over in her hands her thoughts once again turned to her's and Martha's conversation, the one they had just after New Earth.

~flashback~

_"How do you feel about him?"_

_"What do you mean Martha? How do I feel about him as a friend?"_

_"Yeah"_

_"I like him. He's caring and kind. The Doctor acts like a child sometimes; occasionally says the weirdest things but always knows how to make me laugh. He doesn't judge me like when I took him to my grans grave stone so I could talk to it. He actually talked to her as well. Ben would never do that, he wouldn't even come with me to see her. I feel I can tell him anything. In fact I did tell him something that even my own mother doesn't know. I trust him completely Martha. Meeting him was one of the best things that has happened to me. To be honest I can't imagine a life without him"_

~end~

Although it hasn't exactly been a smooth ride so far, she wouldn't trade meeting the Doctor for anything. When Steve asked if she thought the Doctor was cute, she lied. The Time Lord in her option was very good looking with that usually messy brown hair. She also liked his blue suit however he did look very handsome in the tux.  _Definitely way nicer looking than James Bond_  Alyssa thought.

Alyssa thought about the many times she had kissed his cheek. The first time she did it, it was for thanking the Doctor for allowing her to float in space. The second time was to thank him for saving her from almost marrying someone. The other times was because she wanted to and for some reason it felt right. Alyssa's then thoughts once again turned to the kiss on the moon. The woman raised a hand to her lips and smiled. She really couldn't deny that she liked the kiss the Doctor had given her even when she told him that it was no big deal. Her heart sped up slightly when she thought about how his lips felt on hers.

 _"Do you love him?"_ Martha's voice said in her mind.

_"Ali you really should listen to your heart"_

Alyssa closed her eyes and held onto the key.  _What do I really feel about the Doctor_? She thought.

" _I can't even imagine a life without him"_ her own voice echoed at her. She said that twice now even though she knew the truth, Time Lords lived far longer than humans do. Alyssa shook her head. She didn't care about that at all. The woman gasped and dropped the key when she realised that Martha was right. So was Steve.

"What am I going to do?"

It was about 20 minutes later when Sarah came into Alyssa's room holding her mobile. "Honey your phone has been buzzing on and off", she said holding it out.

"Oh. I forgot that I left it down stairs. Thanks mum", Alyssa said taking it. She looked at the screen and saw several missed calls from the Doctor. Alyssa turned her phone off as she didn't feel like talking to him at the moment.

"Are you ok Ali?" Sarah asked sitting on the bed next to her.

"Honestly? I don't know. I'm having a little bit of a problem mum. I've got these feelings for someone. Someone who isn't Ben"

"Who?"

Alyssa hesitated slightly before answering "John. But I shouldn't be feeling this way. It's wrong"

"You are not married to Ben"

"It doesn't matter. Falling in love with John while I'm with Ben still feels wrong. It feels like I'm cheating on him"

"Have you cheated on him?"

"No I would never do that to Ben. I just don't know what to do mum. I'm in love with Ben but…"

"You also love John"

"I do. Don't get me wrong I love Ben I really do but it feels so samey. I guess it doesn't help that he forgets about the lunch dates even when he's the one who arranges it. John has been there for me, we've been through so much together. When I'm with him I'm happy. I feel like I did when I first met Ben. How did you feel when you met dad?"

"When I met your father we just got on really well. It wasn't long before we fell in love with each other. I thought he was the one"

"Then he cheated on you"

"I guess it wasn't meant to be. One good thing came out of it"

"What?"

"You"

"Thanks mum", Alyssa said giving Sarah a hug "I still don't know what to do".

"What does your heart tell you?"

"That I love John more", Alyssa replied. She felt relieved after she said that but it didn't make her feel any better. Alyssa was still confused as to what to do.

"Then you know what you have to do"

"How can I? How do I tell my boyfriend for two years that I want to break up because I've fallen for someone else?"

"Well I wouldn't say that exactly"

"I still don't know mum. I've been with Ben for two years. We’ve not long come back from holiday for Christ sake!"

"You're a smart girl. I'm sure you will figure it out. Get some sleep Ali, maybe the answer will come to you", Sarah said kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah maybe. Goodnight mum"

"Goodnight sweetheart", Sarah said and left the room. Alyssa picked up the TARDIS key from the floor and carefully placed it on her bed side table.  _I really hope I can figure this out_.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good morning Ali", Sarah said when her daughter came downstairs the next morning.

"Morning mum. Before you ask no I haven't figured it out yet"

"Don't worry honey. You will"

"I hope so", Alyssa said "right I'm going to hand in my resignation to my boss. See you later", she said after she finished her breakfast.

"See you later. Pizza and movie tonight?"

"Sounds great", Alyssa agreed and left the house.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello Mrs Michaelson", Alyssa said entering her boss's office.

"Hello Alyssa. What brings you here?"

"I've come to hand in my resignation", she replied pulling out a folded up piece of paper and giving to the woman. Mrs Michaelson looked it over.

"I'm sad to see you go. So will some of the others"

"Yeah. I know that I've given you my resignation now but can I stay on one more week? Just so that you can find someone else to take over my shift"

"Of course. See you on Monday"

Alyssa nodded "see you on Monday mam", she said and left.

"Ali? What are you doing here?" Bonnie asked noticing the red head.

"I just resigned"

"Resigned? Why?"

"I've been offered a job at the British Museum as a conservationist"

"Congratulations"

"Thanks"

"Does that mean I won't see you on Tuesday?"

"No I will be working next week. Just so our boss can find someone else to take over my shift"

"Ok. See you next week?"

"Yeah see you"

Alyssa walked leisurely back to her house so that she could send Mr Watkins and Jenna an email letting them know that she can start work next Friday. When she got back, she went to her room and typed up the emails. In Jenna's email she mentioned that she was free that day if she wanted her to come in to continue work on the Sunflowers. She looked up from her laptop when she heard the familiar noise of the TARDIS. Alyssa looked out her window to see the blue box appearing in her back garden. She didn't go downstairs as she was rather nervous about facing the Time Lord now that she realised what she felt about him.

"Ali?" she heard him call.

"In my room!" Alyssa called back. She glanced over when the door opened "hey. What brings you back to Earth then?"

"Well I have this bracelet that someone left in the TARDIS", the Doctor replied holding out the charm bracelet.

"Thank you", Alyssa said taking it putting around her wrist "I meant to ask is Martha ok?"

"She's fine. She's actually travelling with me now"

"Really? Good for her. Have you shown Martha anywhere nice?"

"Been to the moon and shown her the Milky Way. I'd asked you if you wanted to come..."

"But I wasn't answering the phone. Sorry about that I was kinda busy yesterday"

"Are you free now?"

"Um I think so. Why?"

"I wondered if you wanted to come with us. Continue travelling"

"I'd like that. Let me just check my emails", Alyssa said. She went to her laptop and checked. She had a response from Jenna. "Actually it looks like I'm needed this afternoon at the museum"

"You do know that I have a time machine"

"I know. If I went with you do you think you could get me back for early afternoon?" Alyssa asked pulling on some shoes.

"Of course I can"

"Well what are we waiting for? Allonsy!" the woman said going past the Doctor and down the stairs. The Time Lord followed her out of the home and they went into the TARDIS.


	39. 42 part 1

The pair entered the blue box to find Martha standing in the console room. "Hey Martha. I hear your now travelling with the Doctor", Alyssa said after she hugged her.

"Yep. He offered just after the Lazarus party"

"And you were crazy enough to say yes?"

"If I'm crazy then you must be barmy too", Martha replied. Alyssa laughed and said

"Yeah I suppose I must be. Actually it's a good thing you are here. There's something I need to tell you"

"What?"

"Can we talk in private?"

"Sure"

"That means you stay here", Alyssa said firmly to the Doctor before she walked off with Martha.

"What did you need to tell me?" Martha asked when they reached the kitchen.

"I love the Doctor but you knew that didn't you? When you asked me after New Earth"

"I could tell that there was something going on between you two. When did you finally realise?"

"Yesterday"

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Well when I talked to my mum last night, she implied what I had to do. The problem is I don't know to how to tell Ben"

"I don't envy you. It's going to be tough whatever you tell him"

"That's an understatement. All I know is that I won't be telling him the reason I'm breaking up is because I fell for someone else"

"If you need any opinion on whatever you come up with, feel free to tell me"

"Thanks Martha. I will. We better get back to the Doctor, he might think we're plotting to hijack Sexy from him and leave him stranded on Earth"

"Would it be possible to do that?"

"Maybe. If I asked her nicely but I highly doubt she'd do that even for me. Although between you and me, it would be fun to try", Alyssa said whispering the last part. Martha laughed

"Yeah I bet it would", she agreed. They headed back to the console room.

"Doctor as Martha is now going to be travelling with maybe you should give her a frequent fliers privilege?" Alyssa suggested sitting down on the captain's chair.

"That's a good idea. Do you have a mobile?" the Doctor asked Martha. She got it out of her pocket and gave it to him.

"What do you mean frequent fliers privilege?" Martha asked as the Doctor used his sonic on her phone.

"Right, there we go. Universal roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again", the Doctor said handing Martha's phone back.

"No way. This is too mad. You're telling me I can phone anyone, anywhere in space and time on my mobile?"

"Yep", Alyssa confirmed from where she was sat on the captain's chair "try it out". As Martha goes to the TARDIS judders.

"Distress signal. Locking on. Might be a bit of…" Doctor began when they both get knocked to the floor while Alyssa falls off the chair "Turbulence. Sorry", the Doctor said getting up and helped Martha to her feet.

"I'm used to it by now", Alyssa said also standing "although you should invest in carpet or padding on the floor", she added walking down the ramp. The trio leave the TARDIS into a boiling hot room.

"Whoa, now that is hot", the Doctor said.

"Whuff, it's like a sauna in here", Martha agreed taking off her jacket.

"Even Greece wasn't this hot", Alyssa added removing her own hoodie and pulling her hair up.

"Venting systems. Working at full pelt, trying to cool down. Wherever it is we are", the Doctor said going over to a heavy door and opens it.

"That's a little better", Alyssa said stepping through into a slightly cooler area.

"Oi, you three!" a young man shouted at them as he another man and a woman come running up to them.

"Get out of there!" the woman added. The two men quickly close the door as the Doctor, Martha and Alyssa stood there confused. "Who are you? What are you doing on my ship?" the woman demanded.

"Are you police?" one of the men asked.

"Why would we be police?" the Doctor asked still a little confused.

"We got your distress signal", Martha explained.

"If this is a ship, why can't we hear any engines?" Alyssa asked.

"It went dead four minutes ago", the woman replied.

"So maybe we should stop chatting and get to Engineering. Captain", the second man said directing the word captain at the woman they'd come with.

"Secure closure active", a computer voice said. Another woman runs towards them as bulkheads slam shut behind her.

"Who activated secure closure? I nearly got locked in to area twenty seven", she said breathing heavily from running. "Who are you?" she asked looking at the three newcomers.

"He's the Doctor, she's Ali and I'm Martha. Hello", Martha replied. She walked towards a small window and looked out. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

"Impact projection forty two minutes twenty seven seconds"

Alyssa joined Martha at the window "Doctor", she said quietly not taking her eyes away from the window.

"Forty two minutes until what?" the Doctor asked having not heard Alyssa.

"Doctor! Look", Martha said louder than the red head. The Doctor hurried over and looked out. Outside was a large sun which was very close to where they were.

"Forty two minutes until we crash into the sun", the woman wearing a vest replied.

"How many crew members on board?" the Doctor asked trying to keep calm. Panicking wasn't going to help anyone.

"Seven, including us", the vest wearing woman replied.

"Call the others, I'll get you out", the Doctor said running to the door to area 30. He opens the door and is knocked down by the blast of heat. The short haired woman puts on a welder's mask and shuts it again.

"But my ship's in there!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"In the vent chamber?" the first man asked.

"It's our lifeboat", the Doctor explained.

"Its lava", the second man said.

"The temperature's going mad in there. Up three thousand degrees in ten seconds, and still rising", the short haired woman added.

"Channelling the air. The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's going to get", the first man explained.

"We're stuck here", Martha said bitterly.

"So, we fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun. Simple. Engineering down here, is it?" the Doctor asked pointing in a direction.

"Yes", the vest wearing woman replied.

"Ali", the Doctor said putting a hand on her shoulder. She been staring at the window while they were talking.

"Hm?" she said tearing her gaze from the window. She couldn't help but stare at the sun. Alyssa had this sense that there was more to it than a giant ball of gas.

"We're going to engineering to fix the engines"

"Why? Can't we use the TARDIS to leave?"

"No. We can't the temperature is the room is too high"

"Oh"

"Are you ok?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine. We better get to engineering, we're wasting time chatting", Alyssa said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Blimey, do you always leave things in such a mess?" the Doctor asked when they reached engineering and saw the mess.

"What the hell happened?" the second man asked looking at the destruction.

"Looks like someone knew what they were doing", Alyssa said.

"Where's Korwin? Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?" the vest wearing woman asked.

"No", the second man replied. The captain of the ship goes over to the intercom.

"Korwin, Ashton? Where are you? Korwin, can you answer? Where the hell is he? He should be up here"

The Doctor put on his glasses and looked at a screen "Oh, we're in the Torajii system. Lovely. You're a long way from home, Martha, Ali. Half a universe away", he said.

"Yeah. Feels it", Martha said sarcastically.

"And you're still using energy scoops for fusion? Hasn't that been outlawed yet?" the Doctor asked the woman whom one of the men called captain.

"We're due to upgrade next docking", she replied "Scannell, engine report".

"No response", Scannell replied looking at the same screen as the Doctor. He ran to the wrecked engine "They're burnt out. The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online", Scannell said.

"Oh, come on. Auxiliary engines. Every craft's got auxiliaries", the Doctor said taking off his glasses.

"We don't have access from here. The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship", the female captain explained.

"Yeah, with twenty nine password sealed doors between us and them. You'll never get there in time", Scannell added.

"Can't you override the doors?" Martha asked.

"No. Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed", Scannell replied.

"So a sonic screwdriver's no use"

"I thought the sonic could open anything?"

"Anything except deadlocks and wood", the Doctor replied.

"Nothing's any use. We've got no engines, no time, and no chance", Scannell said sounding despondent.

"Oh come on! Defeated before you've even started", Alyssa said disappointed in them. They had mere minutes before they were going to crash into the sun and the crew had given up.

"She's right. Where's your Dunkirk spirit? Who's got the door passwords?" the Doctor asked.

"They're randomly generated. Reckon I know most of them. Sorry. Riley Vashti", Riley piped up.

"Then what're you waiting for, Riley Vashti? Get on it", the Doctor said deciding to take control of the situation.

"Well, it's a two person job. One, a technish for the questions, and the other to carry this", Riley said picking up a large clamp and a backpack "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh, Captain?"

"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh, Riley?" the captain quipped.

"Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice"

"I'll help you. Make myself useful", Martha said to Riley taking the equipment from him.

"Oi. Be careful", the Doctor said to Martha as she started to leave with Riley.

"You too. Both of you", Martha said to her friends before leaving.

"McDonnell. It's Ashton", a male voice said coming through the intercom.

"Where are you? Is Korwin with you?" the vest wearing woman, now everyone know as McDonnell asked.

"Get up to the med-centre now!" Ashton shouted. The Doctor, McDonnell and Alyssa run out of the room going past Martha and Riley.

**Impact in 34.31**

"Korwin! What's happened? Is he okay?" McDonnell asked as she, Alyssa and the Doctor ran in.

"Help me! It's burning me!" Korwin shouted thrashing around on the bed as a man and woman tried to restrain him.

"How long's he been like this?" the Doctor asked.

"Ashton just brought him in", the woman in the scrubs replied. The Doctor scans Korwin with his screwdriver.

"What are you doing?" McDonnell asked watching him.

"Sonic impulse", the Doctor replied as Korwin gave another shriek of pain.

"Don't be so stupid. That's my husband", McDonnell said pushing past Ashton to stand by the bed.

"And he's just sabotaged our ship", Ashton said.

"What?" McDonnell asked confused.

"He went mad. He put the ship onto secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls", Ashton explained.

"No way. He wouldn't do that"

"I saw it happen, Captain", Ashton insisted.

"Korwin? Korwin, open your eyes for me a second", the Doctor said to the in pain man.

"I can't!" Korwin exclaimed.

"Yeah, course you can. Go on"

"Don't make me look at you, please", Korwin begged.

"All right, all right, all right. Just relax. Sedative?" the Doctor asked picking up an injection gun.

"Yes", the woman with the scrubs replied. The Doctor uses the sedative on Korwin.

"What's wrong with him?" McDonnell.

"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings. Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature", the Doctor explained. Ashton and the other woman do what he says "And, just for fun, run a bioscan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail", the Time Lord added.

"Just doing them now", the medical woman replied.

"Oh, you're good", the Doctor said

"Anyone else presenting these symptoms?" Alyssa asked.

"Not so far"

"Well, that's something", the Doctor said happy that no one else was in the same state.

"Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?"

"Some sort of infection. We'll know more after the test results. Now, allons-y, back downstairs", the Doctor said. McDonnell and Ashton left the medical center. "Any questions?" he asked going to leave.

"Yeah. Who are you?" the woman in the scrubs asked.

"I'm the Doctor", the Doctor replied "Ali are you coming?"

"No I'm going to stay here", Alyssa replied. 

"Ok. Call if there is any news"

"Doctor?" Alyssa called as he ran out the off the room.

"What?" he asked sticking his head back in.

"Be careful"

"I will", he promised and left.

"Whats your name?" Alyssa asked the woman as she turned to run some more tests.

"Abi Lerner and you're Ali"

"Ali Palmer. Nice to meet you Abi"

"Likewise. I don't mean to be rude or anything but why aren't you helping the others? Do you have medical knowledge?"

"No I don't. I just figured that I'd stay behind in case you needed a hand with anything. The others can manage without me", Alyssa replied.

"Heat shield failing. At twenty-five percent. Impact in thirty two fifty"

Minutes later the Doctor's voice came over the intercom in the med-center. "Abi, how's Korwin doing? Any results from the bio-scan?"

"He's under heavy sedation. I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know", Abi replied looking at the x-rays and bio scans.

"What are we seeing here Abi?"

"Honestly Ali I don't know", Abi replied confused. Unbeknownst to either of them Korwin was starting to wake.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Impact in 30.50**

Both Abi and Alyssa were still looking at the readings from the bio scans. The red head jumped when her phone went off. "Ali I have a question. Who had the most pre-download number ones, Elvis Presley or The Beatles?" Martha asked as Alyssa answered it.

"Why are you asking me? The Doctor is more likely to know", Alyssa replied moving away from Abi.

"He wasn't sure"

"Ok. Let's think. Elvis or the Beatles?" Alyssa said. She started to pace while she tried to recall which one did. In university she had befriended a guy who often told little bits of trivia which came in handy when taking part in pub quizzes.

"Um Ali I hate to rush you but we need an answer", Martha said interrupting her thoughts.

"Martha I honestly am not sure. You'll have to try someone else. Sorry", Alyssa said and hung up. She was disappointed that she couldn't recall her friend ever telling her that. "How are those readings?"

"I just need a little longer", Abi replied.

**Impact in 29.46**

"You know that countdown is starting to unnerve me a little", Alyssa said.

"You're telling me. Could you check the stasis chamber? Make sure Korwin's body temp is regulated"

"Sure", Alyssa said. She went to the chamber and had a look. The woman was confused at the readings. "Abi…" she started but broke off when Korwin grabbed her wrist, the one that was still in the cast and sat up.

"This is med-centre. Urgent assistance requested. Urgent assistance!" Abi shouted into the intercom.

"It's alive", Alyssa whispered eyes widening at what she was being shown.

"Urgent assistance!" Abi shouted once more in the intercom.

"We must share the light", Korwin said and put his free hand on the side of Alyssa's face. She screamed in agony at the burning sensation. Korwin let her go and she collapsed on the floor. Abi just stood there frozen in shock as the man got up.

"Burn with me", he said advancing on the woman.

"K…Korwin you're sick", Abi stammered frightened.

"Burn. With. Me!" he said in a menacing tone before opening his eyes. Abi screamed at the brightness of his white eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minutes later The Doctor, McDonnell and Scannell burst into the med-center. The Time Lord noticed Alyssa on the floor by the stasis chamber and went over. "Ali", he said quietly kneeling down next to her. The Doctor brushed her hair back from her face and saw a red handprint on her cheek.

"Oh my god", Scannell said when he noticed a charred black shape on the wall "tell me that's not Lerner"

"Endothermic vaporisation", the Doctor said looking up at the wall.

"Doctor", Alyssa murmured as she started to stir.

"I'm here", he said carefully picking her up from the floor and setting her on the bed.

"Where's Abi?" Alyssa asked laying down. She could feel herself start to burn from the inside.

"Why did Korwin leave you alive? Why didn't he kill you too?" Scannell demanded angry that his crew mate was dead and the red haired woman was somehow spared.

"Leave her alone", the Doctor said.

"It's ok. I…." she broke off and gasped in pain when the burning sensation suddenly flared.

"Ali whats wrong?"

"It hurts", she replied.

"What hurts?"

Alyssa let out a cry "Everything! It burns!" the Doctor had to pin her to the bed by her shoulders as she started to thrash around. She looked past him to McDonnell. "It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" the woman said glaring at her.

"Why is it her fault Ali?" the Doctor asked.

"You should have scanned for life!" Alyssa spat.

"I don't understand", McDonnell said confused as to why she was being hostile.

"You stupid human. That sun is alive. A living organism. They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel..." Alyssa let out another agonised cry "and now it's screaming!"

"How can a sun be alive? Why is she saying that?" McDonnell asked confused.

"Because it's living in me", Alyssa replied her green eyes changing to bright white before shifting back to green.

"You said that sun is alive?" the Doctor asked trying to make sense of what Alyssa said.

"Yes! God you're slow!" she said before letting out another scream.

"McDonnell I need a sedative", the Doctor said to her. He didn't want Alyssa to be in any more pain. She grabbed his hand.

"Don't"

"Ali…"

"If you sedate me then this thing could take over. While I'm awake I can fight it", Alyssa said interrupting. "You have to give it back. All of it"

"The sun particles?"

Alyssa winced but then nodded "it's the only way to… to stop…ah!"

"Impact in twenty four fifty one"

"You heard her. We need to vent the engines", the Doctor said.

"We'll go. Let's hope Riley and your friend are getting there", McDonnell said and quickly left with Scannell.


	40. 42 part 2

"Doctor, we're through to area seventeen", Martha's voice came over the intercom. The Doctor left Alyssa's side to answer.

"Keep going. You've got to get to area one and but you're not going to reboot the engines. You're going to vent engines, dump the fuel", the Doctor said. Alyssa let out another pained cry so he ran back to her.

"You have to go", she said panting in the effort to fight the battle inside.

"I'm not leaving you"

"Doctor please. I don't know how much longer I can fight this", Alyssa said her eyes shifting from green to white and back.

"I'm not going anywhere", the Doctor said taking her hand.

"I'm scared", she whimpered.

"I know. What can I do?"

"I'd take an aspirin if you have one"

"Sorry I'm all out"

Alyssa laughed but regretted it. "Please go", she whispered closing her eyes. She could feel whatever was infected with try to take a firmer hold over her.

"No"

"Why are you so…?" Alyssa gasped "oh no Martha!"

"Whats wrong?"

"Martha and Riley are being chased by Ashton. Korwin's changed him", Alyssa explained. "No Ashton! Please they can help!" she shouted. In her mind she could was typing on a keypad, from Ashton's point of view "Ashton let them get to the front. They'll dump the fuel, give back the sun. Please don't", Alyssa pleaded. She breathed in a sigh of relief despite the burning she was feeling. "Thank you", she said as from his point of view, he stopped typing and walked away.

"Martha and Riley ok?"

"Yes", Alyssa replied. "Ah! Doctor I can't…I can't…." the Time Lord was flung backwards as she inadvertently lashed out with her powers. The Doctor pushed himself to his feet as Alyssa got off the bed. "Burn with me Doctor", she said with her eyes closed.

"Ali you don't want to do this"

"Burn with me", she repeated her voice changing to sound just like Korwin's.

"Ali fight it" the Doctor said as she walked towards him. "I'm your friend remember?" Alyssa paused

"Friend?"

"Yes. I'm your friend the Doctor"

"Friend burn with me", Alyssa said and continued walking towards him. She then gasped and kneeled over. "No I won't hurt him", she said clutching her head "I won't do it".

"Ali", the Doctor said. He was going to go over to her when she shouted.

"Doctor stay back!" as she forced herself backwards.

"What can I do?" the Doctor asked wanting to help her anyway he can as he could tell that she was fighting the thing that was trying to take her over.

"Keep talking to me. About anything"

"How's Benny Boy?"

"He's fine but he hates that nickname", Alyssa replied. She cringed at the pain that flashed through her body. "Doctor you need to go now", she said keeping her head down.

"I've already told you I'm not going anywhere", the Doctor said.

"I could kill you"

"You won't", the Doctor said moving towards her. She tensed when she felt him put his arms around her.

"Please go", Alyssa said trembling.

"No", the Doctor said firmly. He held onto her as the countdown continued and as Alyssa fought to stay in control of her body. "What was that song you sung to her your neighbours kids go to sleep?"

"I…I don't remember"

"Of course you do. You're brilliant!"

"Help me", Alyssa begged.

"I am. Remember Hushabye Mountain"

_A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain_

_Softly blows o'er Lullaby Bay_

_It fills the sails of boats that are waiting_

_Waiting to sail your worries away…_ singing the song seemed to help Alyssa but she was slowly losing herself again. Meanwhile Martha, Riley and Scannell had reached area one. "Life support systems reaching critical. Repeat. Life support systems reaching critical. Impact in one of six", the computer said.

"We need to vent the engines. Dump the fuel"

"Collision alert. Collision alert"

"What?" Riley asked.

"Collision alert. Fifty eight seconds to fatal impact"

"Sun particles in the fuel. Get rid of them. Do it. Now!" Martha commanded. Riley and Scannell hurried to two identical walls with buttons and wheels. They quickly got to work. The Doctor held onto Alyssa as the countdown got closer to zero.

"Burn with me", she said for the 5th time struggling to get out of his grip but still the Doctor refused to let go.

"Ali I just want to say that I” the Doctor swallowed “I love you". He had no idea whether she was too far gone to have heard it but he just had to as the countdown had nearing zero. Alyssa then stopped struggling and went limp.

"Impact averted. Impact averted. Impact averted", the computer declared as the ship started to move away from the sun.

"She did it Ali. Martha did it", the Doctor said happily looking down at the woman in his arms. He was glad to see the handprint on her cheek disappear.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is never your ship", Scannell said checking out the TARDIS.

"Compact, eh? And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her", the Doctor said patting the side.

"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel", Martha said.

"We've sent out an official mayday. The authorities'll pick us up soon enough" Riley said assuring her.

"Though how do we explain what happened?" Scannell asked.

"Just tell them. That sun needs care and protection just like any other living thing", Alyssa replied going into the TARDIS. The Doctor followed her in.

"Come on med bay", the Doctor said taking her hand and leading her there.

"So whats the verdict Doc?" Alyssa asked as he scanned her with his screwdriver.

"You're going to make a full recovery", the Doctor replied.

"Cool", Alyssa said happy. Her happiness faded when she remembered what she'd done "Doctor I felt myself release that energy. I'm so sorry that I hurt you"

"You didn't", the Doctor assured her.

"Did you say something while you giving me a hug? Which was a stupid move by the way"

"I said a lot of things and I didn't think it was a stupid move. We're both still alive"

"Thanks to Martha. What happened to McDonnell?"

"She didn't make it"

"Oh. Sorry to hear that. When Korwin did that thing to me I thought I was going to die. I've never been so scared", Alyssa admitted.

"And I'm so sorry Ali. That should never have happened to you"

"It's not your fault Doctor. I know travelling with you can sometimes be dangerous but I'm ok with that. With what you've shown me so far, it's worth it", Alyssa said. "Although I told you to leave, thank you for staying with me", she added.

"I wasn't going to leave you Ali", the Doctor said. He reached over to brush back a stray strand of hair from her face. Alyssa's heart started to beat a little faster when he kept his hand on her cheek. The Lord's hazel eyes gazed into her emerald green ones.  _She really is beautiful_ the Doctor thought. As they slowly leaned towards each other, his own two hearts started to beat faster too.

"There you two are", Martha said from the doorway making the pair jump "uh I'll leave you to it", she added when she realised what she'd just walked in on.

"No that's ok Martha. I've got to go freshen up anyway", Alyssa said getting up. She quickly left the med-bay and made a beeline from her room.  _Oh my god I almost kissed the Doctor_ the woman thought as she showered blushing at that.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ali are you coming back?" Martha asked after the TARDIS stopped shaking.

"Of course I am. I can't let you deal with the Doctor on your own", Alyssa replied "come get me tomorrow morning say 10 ish?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow"

"Yeah see you. I don't mind where we go as long as it's awesome", the red haired woman said before leaving with a bag of her dirty clothes.

"Doctor I'm sorry for walking in on you two", Martha said apologising.

"It's fine. Probably a good thing that you did"

"Really? Because your face is saying something else. I was right wasn't I? You do love her"

"Yes Martha I do. But it doesn't matter Ali's better off with Ben"

"How do you know that?"

"Because he can spend the rest of his life with her. I can't"

"Would you think differently if she had feelings for you too?" Martha asked.

"If there was even the remote chance she did, she would still be better off with a human", the Doctor replied. He didn't dare hope that there was the possibility Alyssa had feelings for him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~British Museum~

"Hey Ali", Jenna said greeting her at the help desk.

"Hi Jenna"

"I have a surprise for you"

"Is it an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii?" Alyssa asked.

"Nope. Though I think it's just as good", Jenna said giving her an envelope. Alyssa opened it and found a staff id with her name and photo on it.

"My own id", she said.

"Yep"

"Now I've got this I better get to work", Alyssa said tucking it into her pocket. She and Jenna went to the conservation room where their projects were waiting. "I've handed in my resignation to my boss. I can start working here full time from next Friday", the red head said putting on an apron and tying her hair back.

"That's good. There won't be a shortage of projects to get stuck into"

"Just curious but why isn't there any more people working in this room?" Alyssa asked selecting the paints she needed.

"Most of the conservationists are contractors", Jenna replied "Though there are other full time conservationists in the other departments", the brunette added.

"Right"

Alyssa sat down in front of the easel and continued her work on Sunflowers.  _Maybe I'll get this done by the end of the day_ she thought as she painted. She sat back checking out the work. "Jenna I think I'm done!" she called. Jenna got up from her own project and had a look.

"Very nice. I couldn't have done it better myself. All you have to do now is fill out some forms to say you've completed the work"

"Jenna I didn't do 3 years at university to get a degree to fill out paperwork", Alyssa grumbled. Jenna laughed

"Me neither. Unfortunately its part of the job"

"Ok. Where are the forms?"

"I'll show you", Jenna said. She took Alyssa over to a desk where a computer was sat. Jenna opened the draw and pulled out a file. "Here you go. Just fill out the gaps and sign your name. I'll put it into the computer later", she said giving it to her.

"Thanks Jenna", Alyssa said sitting down at the desk and wrote the information that was required in the right areas. "One question. Am I getting paid for this piece?" she asked loud enough for Jenna to hear.

"Definitely. It'll be included in your first pay check", Jenna replied. Alyssa finished up the paperwork by signing it.

"I'm all done"

"Great you can head off if you like. I'll email you if we get any projects before you start next Friday in case you'd like to do any prep", Jenna said looking up from her own work.

"Ok see you next week"


	41. The immortal and the psychic

As she had some time to kill before her mother came home, Alyssa decided to go to the ice rink. She went to the locker room, took off her shoes and swapped them for her skates. Alyssa then went out on to the ice. She skated around trying out some moves due to the lack of people there. Alyssa had just finished a short improvisation when she heard "looking good Firefly!" behind her. Alyssa turned around to see a familiar American sitting on the bench.

"Jack? Is that you?" she asked skating towards him. It was strange to see him looking so young as the last time she saw him as a large head.

"The one and only"                                                             

Alyssa said coming off the ice and hugging him "how did you know it was me?"

"I just did. You've gotten lovelier since I last saw you. How long ago was that?"

"7 years"

"7 years? Blimey time has gone by quickly. Do you remember how we met?"

"I'd gotten lost on my way to Roald Dhal Plass to meet my mum after ice skating practice with my coach for the competition. When I asked for directions, you were the one I asked. Instead of just pointing my in the right direction you actually walked with me. After we got to my mum you said 'good luck Firefly'"

"I never did get the chance to ask but did you win?"

"No. I just missed out"

"That's a shame. You were only 16 back then. How old are you now?"

"23"

"So what is 23 year old Alyssa doing now?"

"Well I'm working at a café now but I will be working at the British Museum next week as a conservationist. What about you?"

"Oh this and that. Anyone special?"

"Yes as a matter of fact. But enough about me. What is Jack Harkness doing in London?"

"I was finishing up a job"

"And you happened to stop by here?" Alyssa asked folding her arms.

"Yep. That's ok isn't it?"

"I haven't got a problem with it"

"Do you want to grab a bite to eat?"

"I can't Jack. I've made plans with my mum. Its pizza and movie night tonight", Alyssa said. She looked up at the large clock on the wall "speaking of which. I need to be heading off", she said. Alyssa went to the locker room to take off her skates and Jack followed her. As she was swapping her skates for her shoes they heard a loud crash followed by screams.

"Stay here", Jack ordered before running out. Alyssa quickly tied up her shoe and hurried out. She stopped when she saw a wolf like creature pinning Jack down.

"Get away from him!" she shouted running over. The others that were in the rink had made a beeline for the way out. Alyssa raised her hands and flung energy at it, tossing it away from Jack. It landed heavily on the ice. "Jack? Jack?" Alyssa said frantically checking for a pulse as the wounds he had sustained looked serious. Her shoulders slumped when she couldn't find one. "You killed him!" she exclaimed turning to the creature who was trying to stand on the ice but kept slipping. Alyssa clenched her fists, green eyes blazing in anger. The creature shrieked in pain before slumping onto the ice moving no more.

Alyssa sank to her knees, shaking slightly as her head pounded. She'd never done something like that before. "Firefly", Jack whispered from where he lay.

"Jack! You're ok!" Alyssa said hugging the man as he sat up "I thought you were dead. I couldn't find a pulse". In that moment it had slipped her mind that she'd seen him before in New Earth

"I was but I'm kind of immortal"

"What?"

"It's complicated", Jack said getting up "you killed it? How?"

"It's complicated", Alyssa replied "I guess we both have got some explaining to do"

"Yeah. I need to get this sorted and then we'll talk about it"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little later…

"Ok I have about an hour before my mother comes home so we can talk freely", Alyssa said opening the front door of her house. "Do you want to go first?"

"Sure"

"What do you mean by kind of immortal?"

"I don't know how it happened but so far every time I die, I come back a little time later"

"That's sort of cool and it explains why you hadn't changed from the last time"

"Yep. So how did you manage to kill that thing?"

"I used my head. I have psychic powers and no before you ask I cannot read minds"

"Were you born with it?"

“Yes. Jack what is your job? Monster hunter?"

"Sort of. I can't really say"

"Is it some government job? Is that why you can't say?"

"Yeah"

"I understand that"

"You ok?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You just faced a monster on your own"

"Jack that thing had killed you. I wasn't scared, I was angry. So facing that thing was no big deal", Alyssa explained.  _And I've faced worse_ she thought. They talked about other things for a bit before Jack had to go. "It was nice to see you again Jack despite the weird wolf thing. If you're ever this way again, look me up", Alyssa said giving him a piece of paper.

"Will do. Goodbye Firefly"

"See you later Jack", Alyssa said quietly after he already left. She shut the door and got out the plates. It wasn't long before her mother had come back and they were chilling out on the sofa with pizza and a movie.

"Did you do anything nice today?" Sarah asked after the film had finished.

"I resigned from my job. Next week is the last week I will be working at the coffeehouse"

"So you're going to start working at the museum soon?"

"Yep. Next Friday. Although I have done one small project which according to Jenna I will be paid for"

"That's good. You looking forward to it?"

"Absolutely"

"Have you managed to figure out this boy problem of yours?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No not yet. I'm hoping that it'll come to me soon"

"I'm sure it will"

"I'll throw these out. Do you want a tea?"

"I'd love one. Thank you sweetie", Sarah replied. Alyssa took the pizza boxes and tossed them in the recycling. She then got out some mugs for the tea. While she waited for the kettle to boil, Alyssa was fiddling with a teaspoon staring at her Starry Night mug. The swirling yellows reminded her of the sun. The one that was alive.  _I know he said something to me but what?_ Alyssa thought. She was aware of what was happening when she was being possessed but it was fuzzy. Despite that there was one thing he'd said which made her feel something even while she was taken over. She just couldn't recall it.  _Come on Ali think!_ Her eyes widened and she dropped the teaspoon when she remembered.

_"Ali I just want to say that I…I love you"_

"Oh my god"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa paced around her room that evening racking her brain trying to think of ways she could tell Ben the reason why she was breaking up with him. So far none of the ways seemed right. The woman groaned and flopped down onto her bed. She sat up when she heard a noise from her phone. She picked it up, it was telling her she had an email. Alyssa frowned at the address as it wasn’t one she recognised. She clicked on it and her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“He was cheating on me?!”


	42. Confrontation

Alyssa took several deep breaths as the doorbell went. Seeing those pictures that she’d been sent made it a whole lot easier for her to break it off with Ben. All this time she’d been worried about how to tell him she’d fallen for someone else, he’d been dating another woman behind her back. For some time according to the pictures. “Hey Babe”, Ben said as she opened the door.

“Hi Ben”, she replied. Alyssa led him into the lounge where they sat on the sofa.

“So what did you want to talk to me about? You weren’t very clear on the phone”

“This was something that is best to discuss in person than over the phone”

“What is it?”

Alyssa brought out her phone and held it out “care to explain these?”

Ben stared at the picture on the phone “well?” Alyssa asked when he didn’t say anything.

“Ali…I’m sorry”

“Sorry? Sorry?!” Alyssa shouted standing up “you’ve been cheating on me for months and all you can say is sorry?”

“Please let me explain”

“Oh this will be good”, she said sarcastically “actually you know what? I don’t want to know. I just hope you’re happy with _Christine_ because we’re done”

“I’ll break it off with her. You’re the one I love”

“Right”, Alyssa said not believing him at all. She didn’t need to be psychic to know he’d keep seeing his other girl but would try to be more discrete about it. “I loved you Ben for two years”, she said trying to keep her emotions in check “and now our relationship has come to an end. I don’t usually like saying goodbye but I will say it this time. Goodbye Ben”

Ben stood up. He was going to say something but decided against it. Ben had planned to end things that weekend as he couldn’t cheat on Alyssa anymore. He loved her too much. He never thought that she would find out about his relationship with Christine, let alone have pictures. Alyssa stood in the doorway as her former boyfriend walked down the hallway and out the door. She sighed and shook her head. The woman still couldn’t believe he did that. She didn’t sense that he was keeping something from her but then again she usually blocked off her ability around him because she had trusted him. _Big mistake_ she thought making a mental note to use her sense more often.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Sarah came home that evening she could tell something was wrong with her daughter. “Honey whats wrong?”

“You know my problem I had with falling in love with someone else and not knowing how to tell Ben?”

“Yeah”

“Well it turns out that I was worrying for no good reason. Most of those times Ben had told me he was ‘busy’, he was actually out with another woman” Sarah’s eyes widened at that.

“He what?!”

“That was my reaction too”

“How did you find out?” Sarah asked. In response Alyssa showed her the pictures on her phone. Her mother flicked through them, getting angrier with each one. “I can’t believe he’d do that to you”

“Me neither”

“At least you don’t have to worry about how to tell him you love someone else”, Sarah said pointing out a good side to the situation.

Steve had a similar reaction when she told him over the phone a little later. Alyssa even had to hold the phone away from her ear a couple of times when her friend said a few choice words about her ex-boyfriend. “You finished?” Alyssa asked after the second choice words rant.

“Not really but there’s not point ranting at you about it. At least now you can focus on sorting out your feelings for that cute Doctor of yours”

“Steve!” Alyssa exclaimed.

“What? Last time we talked you were having trouble admitting you loved the Doctor”

“I’m not having trouble anymore”, she mumbled.

“Sorry could you speak up? I couldn’t hear you”

“I said I’m not having trouble anymore”, Alyssa repeated louder.

“And?”

“And what”

“You know what .Do I have to come over and tickle it out of you Ali?”

Alyssa shook her head “that won’t be necessary” she took a breath “I love him Steve. I love the Doctor” she laughed hearing his cheers over the phone.

“Now was that so hard?”

“No I guess it wasn’t”

“So what’s your next move?”

“My next move will be to continue travelling with the Doctor and Martha”, Alyssa replied knowing that he meant about her feelings.

“I meant about your feelings”

“I’m not going to tell him how I feel as I’m not sure if he feels the same way”, Alyssa lied. She did know how the Doctor felt but wasn’t sure how to go about it. She couldn’t just ask him outright. She needed a little more time to think about it.

“Well that’s easy. I’ll have a talk with him”

“Um how? You don’t exactly have his number”

“I know but I was thinking you could ask him if I could go on a trip with you guys”

“You want to travel in the TARDIS?”

“I do. I’ve been a bit eager to see what this ship is like since you explained it to me”

“Well if you’re really interested. I suppose I could ask him but I’m not making any promises”

“That’s all I can ask”

“I’ll let you know what he says”

“Ok Ali. Speak to you later”

“Yeah. Speak to you later”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~the next day~

“You ready for this Steve?” Alyssa asked stopping outside the garden shed.

“I’m more than ready”, he replied excited. He was going to see a real spaceship!

“Brace yourself”, Alyssa said opening the door to reveal the police box inside. She then unlocked the TARDIS with her key and allowed her friend to enter first. The woman followed him inside and grinned when she saw his awestruck expression.

“Ali it’s…it’s…”

“Go on say it. Martha did”, Alyssa said standing by the Doctor and Martha.

“It’s bigger on the inside. Ali you never told me it was bigger on the inside”

“Well I wanted to see the look on your face in the eventuality that you were invited”, Alyssa said smiling.

“You don’t seem surprised by this at all”, Steve said to Alyssa.

“That because I’m used to it”, the woman replied. She was still occasionally surprised by the different rooms that the blue box had to offer. Alyssa was positive that she hadn’t seen everything within the TARDIS which made each trip exciting.

“Alright then Steve any place in particular you want to go?” the Doctor asked.

“Yep but for one trip only”

“I-I don’t know. Help me out Ali”

“How about somewhere in the future?” she suggested. The Doctor bounded up to the console and started pushing buttons. Alyssa, Martha and Steve joined him at the console. “You’re gonna want to hold on tight”, Alyssa warned Steve before the Doctor pulled the lever to make the TARDIS disappear. She grabbed her friend’s wrist as he lost his balance from all the shaking.

“Is it always like that?” Steve asked when the shaking stopped.

“Pretty much”, Alyssa replied. She ran down the ramp and put her hand on the handle. “You ready to see what’s out there?” she asked Steve.

“Yep”


	43. Girl in the Fireplace part 1

Alyssa smiled, pulled open the door and stepped out. Steve followed and took in his surroundings. “This is so cool! We’ve actually moved”

“Yes we have. I hope this isn’t going to be like the last ship we were on”, she said kicking a bit of broken equipment. 

“Nah I’m sure it won’t be “, the Doctor said “you know what, I'll just have a quick scan, in case there's anything dangerous”, he quickly added when he saw Alyssa’s expression. He went over to a control panel and started typing.

“So, what's the date?” Martha asked.

“About three thousand years into your future, give or take”, the Doctor replies. He pulls a switch and the lights turn on. Part of the roof opened to show a view of the stars.

“Fifty first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Steve. Two and a half galaxies”

Steve heads to a porthole and looks out. “Like what you see?” Alyssa asked putting her arm around him.

“It’s amazing!”

The Doctor noticed a screen with a diagram on it. “Now that's odd. Look at that. All the warp engines are going. Full capacity. There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we're not moving. So where's all that power going?” he asked Martha.

“And where did all the crew go?” 

“Good question. No life readings on board”, the Doctor replied tweaking the knobs on the control panel. “Can you smell that?” he asked sniffing.

“Yeah, someone's cooking”, Martha replied also smelling the air. The Doctor presses a button on the console and a door opened behind them. The Time Lord called Alyssa and Steve over.

“There’s something you don’t see every day”, Steve commented seeing the ornate fireplace complete with a fire. The Doctor scanned it with his screw driver. “Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double sided. There's another room through there”, he said.

Interested, Alyssa crouches down and looks through the fireplace. A young blond haired girl was looking back at her. The woman smiled and said “hello”.

“Hello”, the girl said.

“What's your name?”

“Reinette”

“That’s a beautiful name”

“Madame, what are you doing in my fireplace?” Reinette asked.

“Oh, it's just a routine fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?” the Doctor said suddenly crouching down next to Alyssa.

“Of course I can. Seventeen hundred and twenty seven”

“Oh that’s one of my favourites! August is rubbish though”

“Don’t mind him he’s a little mad. Enjoy the rest of your fire. Good night”, Alyssa said.

“Goodnight Madame, Monsieur”

“You said this was the fifty first century”, Steve said as the Doctor and Alyssa stood up.

“I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe. I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink”

“What’s a spatio-temporal hyperlink?” Steve asked.

“No idea. Just made it up. Didn't want to say magic door”, the Doctor said inspecting the fireplace.

“And on the other side of the magic door is France in 1727?” Martha asked.

“Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too”

“She was speaking English, I heard her”, Steve said.

“The TARDIS translates it for you”, Martha explains.

“Pretty cool right?” Alyssa said leaning against the fireplace. Without realising she’d triggered something that made the wall rotate taking herself and the Doctor along with it.

Upon hearing a noise Reinette wakes up. “It’s ok Reinette. It’s just me and the Doctor. We spoke earlier remember?” Alyssa said to the girl wanting to keep her calm.

“But Madame that was months ago”

“Really?” the Doctor asked surprised at that. The pair approached the bed but Alyssa stopped when she sensed something else was in the room.

“Ali whats wrong?” the Doctor asked.

“Something else is in the room, under the bed”, she replied. The young girl immediately tensed up, looking afraid.

“Reinette stay in the middle of the bed. Don’t move”, the Doctor instructed and Reinette nodded. The Time Lord pulled out his sonic and continued towards the bed with Alyssa. He crouched down but before he could use his sonic, something smacked him backwards.

“Um Doctor?” Alyssa said seeing a figure stand up on the other side of the bed as the Doctor sat up.

“Reinette don’t look round”, he whispered to the girl who was trembling. Alyssa didn’t take her eyes off the figure with its creepy clown like mask. She was ready to pull Reinette away at a moment’s notice.

“Why are you here? What could you possibly want from a child?” Alyssa asked the figure who didn’t answer. The Doctor put his hands of the girl’s head and looked into her eyes.

“You’ve been scanning her brain!” he said shocked that whatever this thing was had travelled so far just to scan a child’s brain. “What could there be in a little girl's mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?” the Doctor asked but again the figure didn’t answer. Alyssa’s eyes widened at that.

“You want me?” Reinette asked turning around to look at the figure.

“Not yet. You are incomplete”, the figure said in a robotic like voice.

“What do you mean incomplete?” the Doctor asked. Again the robot didn’t answer. He stood up while the red head stayed kneeling by the little girl.

 “You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean, incomplete?” the Doctor demanded pulling out his sonic screwdriver. The robot didn’t answer him either. Instead it walked jerkily around the bed. Alyssa flinched when a metal blade slides out of the robot’s arm near the Doctor’s face. The Time Lord calmly moved his head way.

“Monsieur, be careful”, Reinette said afraid for the man.

“Just a nightmare, Reinette, don't worry about it. Everyone has nightmares”, the Doctor said backing away. The robot went after him.

“Madame what are you doing?” Reinette asked as Alyssa stood up.

“Going to help him. Stay on the bed”, the woman instructed. She raised her hand at the robot’s back and focused. The robot jerked trying to move but the red haired woman had him stuck in one place. It was flung to one side by Alyssa. She walked to stand in front of the robot as it struggled to stand. “Doctor stay back”, she said seeing him move at the corner of her eye. The woman backed towards the fireplace with the robot going after her instead. Alyssa jumped to the side as the robot swiped at her, its blade now stuck in the mantelpiece. The Doctor wasted no time finding the place Alyssa had accidently knocked to turn the fireplace around.

The second the fireplace had finished turning, the Doctor quickly grabs tube from a nearby rack and fires its contents over the android. It seizes up from the cold. “Where did that thing come from?” Martha asked.

“Here”, the Doctor replied.

“So why is it dressed like that?” Alyssa asked rubbing her head from the headache she received courtesy of using her abilities.

“Field trip to France. Some kind of basic camouflage protocol”, the Doctor explained. He removed the wig and admired the head which was made of plastic. It housed an ornate clockwork mechanism. The Doctor was very reluctant to destroy it but he couldn’t afford to have it running around being a threat to Reinette. Before he could use his sonic on it, the robot teleported away.

“Scotty beamed him up”, Steve joked making Alyssa chuckle despite her head hurting.

“Where are you going?” she asked the Doctor who was going back to the fireplace.

“I’ve got to make sure Reinette is ok. You want to come?”

Alyssa shook her head “I’m gonna stay here”

“Alright. Don’t wander off”

“We won’t Doctor”, Alyssa said.

“And don’t go looking for it” the Doctor said seriously.

“We won’t look for it, I promise”, Alyssa assured him “now don’t you have a little girl to check on?” the Doctor didn’t say anything, just turned the fireplace around again.

“Is it bad that I want to go look for it?” Steve asked.

“Well I kinda promised him that we wouldn’t”, Alyssa replied.

“We don’t have to look for the droid, we could have a look around the ship instead?” Martha suggested.

“You really want to look around the ship?” Alyssa asked and her friend nodded eagerly. “Ok. Martha go with him and if you get into any trouble…”

“I’ll call you”

Steve frowned “how is she supposed to call you Ali? We’re in space. You won’t get a signal”, he said confused.

“Don’t need one”, Alyssa replied “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the Doctor. I’ll take the blame for you guys wandering off. Just stay together ok?”

“We will Ali”, Martha said. Steve picked up the fire extinguisher from the floor.

“Just in case we come across that thing again”, he said explaining his reasoning.

“Good idea”, Alyssa said. The moment her friend and Martha had left, she leant against a wall and closed her eyes hoping the headache would fade.

She opened her eyes when she heard the fireplace moving. “Ali where are Steve and Martha?” the Doctor asked noticing that she was alone.

“They’re uh exploring the ship”

“You promised that you three weren’t going to wander off”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry Doctor”, Alyssa said “Martha was going to call me if there… Doctor why is there lipstick on your lips?” she asked finally noticing.

“Reinette kissed me”, he replied looking ashamed. He’d been surprised when Reinette kissed him but he certainly didn’t kiss her back as she wasn’t the woman he would rather be kissing.

“Reinette is a little girl Doctor. I saw her just minutes ago”

“Well she’s kinda grown up now”

“And you kissed her”

“No! She kissed me”

“Really? You never kissed her back?”

“No”, the Doctor replied “I’m not interested in her”

“Sure you aren’t”, Alyssa said. She felt slightly jealous about the thought of another woman kissing the Doctor especially after she’d remembered what he’d told her while she’d been possessed by the sun. The Doctor stopped her from walking off.

“Ali I’m not interested in her, honest”. He wanted to tell her how he felt but he was worried that she didn’t feel the same way.

“Ok. Let’s go find Steve and Martha”, Alyssa said and she walked off. 


	44. Girl in the fireplace part 2

“I never did ask when we first met but how did you meet Ali and the Doctor?” Steve asked shifting the fire extinguisher in his arms.

“At the hospital. The Doctor was looking for this Alien called a plasmavore and Ali happened to be there as well”

“Was that the Royal Hope hospital?”

“Yes”

“I thought that was some trick how it vanished then reappeared. The news didn’t really explain how that happened”

“Oh that was the Judoon. According to the Doctor they’re some kind of space police. They took the hospital up to the moon in order to look for the plasmavore”, Martha explained.

“I take it the Doctor saved the day?”

“Yes he did. You seem to be getting used to this rather quickly”, Martha commented.

“I suppose after seeing the monster that Lazarus turned into, being in space is quite straight forward to get used to. Though how do you get used to being in the TARDIS? I mean it’s bigger on the inside”

“It is a lot to get your head around. Travelling through time and space. It does help that Ali is there too”

“Travelling with the Doctor is dangerous isn’t it?”

Martha stopped walking and looked at him. “Do you want an honest answer? Or a reassuring one?”

“Honest answer”

“Yes it is dangerous travelling with the Doctor. You never know where you could end up. One minute you could be chatting to Shakespeare and the next your running for your life in the sewers of 1930’s New York”, Martha replied. “You’re wondering if she’s safe being with him. Aren’t you?”

Steve nodded “she’s one of my good friends. I’ve got no problems with her being with the Doctor but I’m just worried that she’s isn’t safe”

“Steve, the Doctor loves Ali. He would do anything to protect her”

“I know he would. It’s just I can’t help but worry although hearing you say that does help. Thank you Martha”

“You’re welcome Steve”, Martha said and the pair of them started walking again. Steve paused when he heard something.

“Do you hear that?” Steve asked. Martha listened for a moment.

“Yeah”, she replied. They followed the sound along the wall to the circular cover. “Is it just me or does that sound like a heartbeat?”

“It does sound like it but why would there be a heartbeat be in the wall? It’s not like there’s an actual heart behind that cover”, Steve said. At those words he and Martha exchanged looks. Steve slowly reached over and pulls the cover away. Sure enough a human heart was in there attached to wires and pipes. “That’s a heart. There’s a human heart in the wall”, he said in disgust.

“Yeah I can see that too”, Martha said. Even though she was training to be a doctor, she was pretty disgusted too.

“Why don’t we keep walking?” Steve suggested.

“Good idea”, Martha agreed. They left the human heart behind unaware of being watched by cameras or that Alyssa was trying to get hold of Martha.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’m still not getting an answer”, Alyssa said after trying Martha’s phone for the third time. “Note to self: tell Martha to have her phone on loud, really loud. I see you and Arthur are getting along”, she said looking at the white horse that was sticking close to the Doctor since he got back from Versailles gardens. Alyssa had declined claiming that she still had a bit of a headache although the Doctor had a feeling that wasn’t the actual reason she wanted to stay behind.

“Arthur?”

“It’s a good name for a horse. Come on we better try and find Martha and Steve”, Alyssa said and started to walk. As they walked, she used her abilities in hope that she would be able to sense them like she did with the robot that was hiding under Reinette’s bed.

Alyssa stopped when she sensed something ahead. “Ali what is it?” the Doctor asked.

“I think…” she broke off when she heard Steve’s voice. The red head quickly headed up the corridor and around the corner. There her friend was standing next to Martha. They were looking through a large window at a man that was wearing fancy clothes.

 “Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?” Steve asked.

“The King of France”, the Doctor replied coming up.

“Oh, here's trouble. What have you two you been up to?” Martha asked looking at them.

“Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat…”

“Don’t forget you kissed her”, Alyssa interrupted.

“Care to elaborate Ali?” Steve asked.

“Not now”, she replied.

“Why is there a horse with you?” Steve asked noticing. The Doctor was about to reply when Reinette entered the room they were looking at through the window.

“I’m guessing that’s Reinette. Funny you forgot to mention that she was beautiful”, Alyssa commented as the woman checked her appearance in the window/mirror. “You know I think I’m going to head back to the TARDIS”, she added and with that she walked off.

“I’ll go after her”, Steve said and hurried after his friend. “Ali! Ali wait!” he called.

“What Steve?” Ali asked stopping when he managed to catch up to her.

“Are you ok? I mean you did mention that the Doctor kissed Reinette”

“No I’m not ok. He kissed another woman!”

“What did the Doctor say when you asked him?”

“He said that she kissed him. I’m just…”

“Jealous?”

“Yeah. I mean look at Reinette, she’s beautiful”

“So are you”

“Thanks but you would say that. You’re my friend”

“But it’s still true. And the Doctor is an idiot if he can’t see what’s right in front of him”

“I suppose. I’m gonna head back to the TARDIS. I need some time to think”

“Do you want me to walk you back?”

Alyssa shook her head “no thanks Steve. I’ll see you later”, she said and with that she walked off. The red haired woman wandered back through the ship, retracing her steps. Eventually she reached the familiar blue box. Alyssa unclasped the chain from around her neck where the TARDIS key hung. She was about to put it in the lock when she sensed something behind her. Before Alyssa could do anything, she felt something being stuck in her neck. She dropped the key and collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

**\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

When Alyssa came to, she discovered that she was strapped to a slanted table. She noticed Martha and Steve strapped on tables just like she was. “You two ok?” she asked her friends after giving the droids a glare.

“Oh I’m fantastic”, Martha said sarcastically.

“Me too except for the fact that we’re going to be chopped into little pieces and used a parts for this ship”, Steve added.

“Is that so?” Alyssa asked the droids. But they didn’t answer her. One of the droids, dressed as an 18th century noble woman, stepped up to Martha’s table.

“You are compatible”, it said.

“Why don’t you release us and I’ll consider not destroying each and every one of you”, Alyssa suggested.

“Um Ali I don’t think they like your suggestion”, Martha said as the droid by her table extends the blade from her hand.

“Nope they don’t like it at all”, Steve agreed the droid by his table did the same thing. The droid wasn’t able to touch Martha as it found itself-unable to move. Steve noticed that Alyssa was staring hard at it. The red head jerked her head, flinging the droid away from the dark skinned woman. She flinched from the pain in her head which she always got from using her abilities. Alyssa did the same to the droid by Steve’s table.

As she fought to keep herself from passing out, a droid dressed as a noble man approached her table. “Your brain is compatible”, it said to her.

“Really? Well I’m kinda using my brain at the moment”

“Your brain is compatible”, the droid repeated sliding its blade out from its hand.

“Look if you don’t want to end up like your friends then you’ll back off”, Alyssa warned.

“Your brain is compatible”, the droid repeated for the third time.

“Yeah you said that already”, Alyssa snapped really struggling to keep her eyes open due to her throbbing head.

“Ali!” Steve shouted when he saw his friend’s eyes closed. As the blade touched Alyssa’s cheek, drunken singing could be heard nearby. Then the Doctor swayed in, carrying a goblet and wearing his tie around his head. “And still have begged for more. I could've spread my wings and done a thou” the Time Lord sung “Have you met the French? My god, they know how to party” the Doctor said sounding a little drunk. When he saw Alyssa unconscious with a droid standing over her holding a blade to her face, his drunken façade slipped slightly to show concern for her.

“Oh, look at what the cat dragged in”, Martha said sarcastically. She was worried about her friend and here the Doctor was drunk and seemingly uncaring about the red head.

“Oh, you need to lighten up Martha”, the Doctor said keeping up the pretence of being drunk.

“Where've you been? They almost harmed Ali” Steve said angrily. His friend managed to save them but she couldn’t save herself before falling unconscious.

“Well, among other things, I think just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early. Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before?” the Doctor said before turning to the droid by Alyssa’s table. “Oh ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant. It's you. You're my favourite, you are. You are the best! Do you know why? Because you're so thick. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania. And so's your dad” he looked at Steve and Martha “Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for? Her milometer. They want to know how old she is. Know why? Because this ship is thirty seven years old, and they think that when Reinette is thirty seven, when she's complete, then her brain will be compatible”.

The Doctor turned back to the droid “So, that's what you're missing, isn't it, hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do”, he said getting right up to the droid.

“Their brains are compatible”, it said.

“Their brains? I only mentioned Reinette’s”, the Doctor said confused.

“It said that Ali’s brain was compatible too”, Steve added.

“Compatible? If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine”, the Doctor said before removing the droid’s mask and pouring the contents of the goblet over its head. “Multigrain anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn't”, he explained as the droid seized up. The remaining droids advanced, with the exception of the two Alyssa had damaged and the one the Doctor damaged. The Time Lord reached over to a nearby lever and pulled it down, deactivating the droids. The Doctor then released Martha, Steve with his sonic. He went back to the table that Alyssa was strapped to and released her as well.

“Is she going to be ok?” Steve asked when the Doctor picked up the unconscious woman.

“She will be. She just needs some rest”, the Doctor replied carrying Alyssa to the TARDIS that was on the other side of the room. He took her to her bedroom where the door swung open as he approached with the red haired woman in his arms. The Time Lord laid her down on her bed. “Ali I’m sorry”, he said caressing her cheek.

The Doctor looked up when there was a tap on the door. Steve was in the doorway “does that often happen when she uses her gifts?” he asked coming in.

“No. It only happens if Ali uses too much”

“Is Reinette still in danger?”

“Yes she is”

“I can look after Ali while you keep an eye on Reinette with Martha”, Steve offered. The Doctor was grateful for the offer but he was conflicted about leaving Alyssa while she was still unconscious.

“Steve I appreciate the offer but...”

“Doctor I really think it would be best if I was here when she woke up. She’s not exactly happy about you kissing Reinette”

“I know. I could tell”

“You care about her don’t you?”

“Yeah I do”, the Doctor admitted.

“Then maybe you need to tell her”

“I can’t”

“Why not?” Steve asked.

“She’s with someone else”

“No she isn’t. Not anymore”, Steve told him surprising the Time Lord.

“She’s not with Ben anymore? How come?”

“That’s for her to tell you. Anyway I think you should probably get back to saving Reinette”

The Doctor nodded and got up. He paused in the doorway to glance back at the woman before walking away. “Looks like he feels the same way about you Ali”, Steve said quietly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually Alyssa stirred “Doctor”, she murmured opening her eyes and seeing someone sitting there.

“No it’s me Steve”

“Steve? How did I get here?” she asked sitting up.

“The Doctor carried you in”, Steve replied.

“Where is he now?”

“He went with Martha to keep an eye on Reinette”

“What? Is she still in danger?”

Steve nodded “I better go help”, Alyssa said swinging her legs around. She stumbled clutching her head when she got up.

“Maybe you should stay here”, Steve suggested.

“No. I have to help him”, Alyssa said firmly walking out of the room. Steve quickly hurried after his friend who using the wall for support.

“Ali you’re barely standing. You need to stay here”, he said stopping her walking.

“I’m not staying here. Reinette is in danger and I am going to help her”, the red head said moving around him.

“At least let me help keep you on your feet”

Alyssa sighed “Fine. Allonsy”, she said tiredly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pair walked around the ship, Alyssa slightly leaning on Steve. “Can you use your gifts? To find them?”

“It’s how I found you. But there is an easier way...” Alyssa trailed off when she couldn’t find her phone. “Damn it. My phone is still in the TARDIS. I guess I will have to use my gifts after all”, the woman said sighing. She took a breath and focused on the Time Lord and Martha. “They’re this way”, Alyssa said pointing down a corridor.

Alyssa led Steve to where she sensed their friends were. “Ali? Whats wrong?” Steve asked when she paused.

“I can only sense one now”, Alyssa said pushing away from him and hurried down the corridor. Steve ran after her. “Martha!” the red head called spotting the dark skinned woman.

“Ali. Are you ok now?” Martha asked when she and Steve reached them.

“I’m fine. Where’s the Doctor?”

Martha looked at the wall where the replica fireplace stood. There was a wall in place of the broken mirror. “He went through the Time Window to save Reinette”, Martha replied geusturing to the place where the mirror hung.

“Time Window?” Alyssa asked looking that the fireplace

“That’s what the Doctor called it”

“Is there any way to get through to help him?” Steve asked.

“I’m afraid not. The Doctor said if you smash a Time Window there would be no way back”, Martha replied. “Ali I’m sorry”

Alyssa didn’t answer, just looked at the broken mirror. 5 and ½ hours later the trio was surprised to see the Doctor approaching them. He explained how he got back via the fireplace he and Alyssa had gone through originally. “Doctor you should tell Ali how you feel”, Steve said after his red haired friend left to have a lie down “and before you say you can’t you should know that there is a chance she feels the same way”.


	45. Admittance

Alyssa sat by the edge of the water in the Chinese Garden thinking about the latest adventure the three of them just been on. They'd gone to the year 1913 to hide out from the family of blood. The Doctor had to make himself human which was extremely difficult to watch as the process was excruciatingly painful for the Time Lord. Alyssa had got a place at a school as their librarian while the Doctor aka John Smith, was a history teacher. Martha became a maid.

She never expected the Doctor as a human to be remotely interested in her, yet he was.

~flashback~

_The Doctor is making a sketch of Alyssa. "Can I see?" Alyssa asked when he finished. The Doctor sat next to her on the sofa and showed her the sketch._

_"Do you like it?"_

_"You've made me far too beautiful", Alyssa said._

_"Well, that's how I see you"_

_"Librarians aren't supposed to be beautiful. I think the world would rather we stopped. Is that fair? That we stop?"_

_"That's not fair at all", the Doctor said. Alyssa's heart started to beat faster as he brushed the side of her hair. The Doctor slowly leant towards her and softly kissed her._

_~end~_

Alyssa recalled the village dance. She was rather amused that the Doctor wasn't as good a dancer when he was human. She then remembered the vision when they touched the watch together.

_~flashback~_

_The Doctor kissing her in the church during their wedding. It then changed to the Doctor holding his first child while Alyssa watched them from the bed smiling. The image shifted to show the Doctor and Alyssa walking with their three children in the park. The image changed once more, this time Doctor is much older._

_"They're all safe, aren't they? The children, the grandchildren. Everyone's safe?" the Doctor asked Alyssa._

_"Everyone's safe, and they all send their love, John", she replied sitting on the edge of the bed and taking his hand._

_"Well, it's time. Thank you", the Doctor said giving her one last smile before closing his eyes._

_~end~_

"It'll never be like that", she said to her reflection. Alyssa smiled "but I don't care. I love him both human and Time Lord". It was that adventure where she actually got to tell him how she felt even if it was human Doctor.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile the Doctor was sitting in the console room also thinking about their latest adventure. He could still hear the words the Alyssa said to him in the cottage.

_"It was never a lie. It was real for me too. I do love you John so much that it's hurting me to have you do this. You probably won't remember I said this but I have to say it anyway" Alyssa took a shaky breath "I love you as both a human… and a Time Lord"_

He couldn't believe that she loved him too but there wasn't any way she could have been lying. The Doctor heard the emotion in her voice, her expression as she told him. When she asked him afterward if he remembered, he'd lied and told her that he didn't. Alyssa then took off somewhere in the TARDIS probably to be alone.

He shouldn’t have been surprised that she did feel the same way that he felt about her. Both Martha and Steve hinted that she did. "Do you think I should tell her how I feel?" The Doctor asked the TARDIS. He got a hum back in reply and the scanner flickered to life showing him Alyssa sitting in the Chinese Garden. It seemed like the TARDIS wanted him to tell her. He got up from the captain's chair and slowly made his way to the garden trying to figure out what to say.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hello Doctor", Alyssa said as he approached

"Sexy told you I was coming"

"No. I knew it wouldn't be Martha because she doesn't know this place exists. That left you as you're the only other person here"

"Right. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Of course not", Alyssa replied and the Doctor did so. They sat there in silence for a bit as the Doctor still thought of what to say.

"Ali there's something I need to tell you"

"Ok"

"I… uh like you"

"I like you too", Alyssa said looking at the water instead of him because she'd probably start blushing.

"No, I mean I really like you"

That made her look at him in surprise.  _Is he about to tell me he loves me?_ She thought, her heart immediately started hammering at the thought. "I've never really been good at expressing how I feel about anyone especially someone as beautiful and wonderful as you. I have been trying for the past few minutes what to say but I honestly don't know. I'm about 900 years old and I can't even tell you…" the Doctor was cut off in his rambling by Alyssa putting a hand over his mouth.

"Stop rambling and just tell me", she said. Alyssa removed her hand so that he could talk.

"Ali I… I love you", the Doctor said.

"You do?"

"Yes. I said it to you before on the ship that was going that was going to crash into the sun"

"I know"

It was the Doctor's turn to be surprised. "You know?" he asked.

Alyssa nodded "yeah. I took me a while to remember what happed but I finally did", she replied "I suppose now is a good time to tell you that I love you too". Alyssa could feel her cheeks heat up so she ducked her head using her hair to hide them.

"I know, you told me in the cottage"

The young woman looked up at him eyes wide "you told me you didn't remember", she said getting up.

"I had a good reason", the Doctor said getting to his feet as well.

"Enlighten me then"

"You're human"

"And?" Alyssa asked taking a step forward forcing him to take one backwards.

"You deserve to be with a human. Someone you can spend the rest of their life with you"

Alyssa shook her head "no. Humans break your heart, cheat on you”, she said “that’s what Ben did to me”.

“That’s why you’re not with him anymore”

“Yes”

“You’ll find another human who’d appreciate you more”

“I don’t want another human Doctor. I love you. No other human could make me feel that way”

"Ali it doesn't matter how we feel about each other. A time lord and a human? It couldn't work"

"Why not? I don't care if you have to hearts. Or lived 9 centuries. Or has an amazing box that is bigger on the inside", she said and with every sentence she took one step forward making the Doctor go backwards. Alyssa noticed that he was perilously close to the water's edge. She smiled at him before giving him a light push. The woman laughed as he fell into the pond.

"What was that for?" the Doctor asked coughing. Alyssa just shrugged.

"I don't know. I just felt like it"

"Well, do you want to help me out?"

"I suppose I should. I did push you in", Alyssa said. She went to the edge and held out her hand, stretching as much as she could. The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her in. "I guess we're even now?" she asked after surfacing.

"Yep", the Doctor replied. Alyssa looked at him soaking wet and started laughing. The Time Lord grinned and laughed too. "Come on we better get out of the water before you catch a cold", he said wading to the edge and hauling himself out.

"Won't you get sick?" Alyssa asked as he helped her out.

"Maybe. I haven't gotten in a long time", he replied.

"I'm starting to think that wasn't a good idea pushing you in", she said shivering. The Doctor got out his screwdriver, pointed it upwards and pressed the button. Immediately the air around them got warmer. "Mm that's better", Alyssa said sitting back on her hands, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth.

"Ali"

"Yes Doctor?" she asked opening her eyes. The Doctor reached over and pushed a strand of her red hair behind her ear, keeping his hand on her cheek after he’d done that.

"I love you"

"I love you too", she said. Alyssa went to kiss his cheek but the Doctor moved his head so that she kissed his lips instead. When she pulled back, the Doctor brought her back in for a much longer kiss.


	46. Blink part 1

“So where are we going to next?” Alyssa asked sitting down on the captain’s chair. They just come back from their latest adventure which was one in a string of trips that had started with the Red Hatching incident that had occurred several hours after dropping Steve off home. It had been rather interesting experience especially prior to the incident where they met Sally Sparrow, a girl who seemed to know who Alyssa and the Doctor where.

~ _flashback~_

_The Doctor, Martha and Alyssa turned when they heard someone calling for the Doctor._

_“Hello. Sorry, bit of a rush. There's a sort of thing happening. Fairly important we stop it”, the Time Lord said._

_“My God, it's you. It really is you”, the blonde woman said before looking at Alyssa “and Ali”. When they gave her confused looks she said “Oh, you two don't remember me, do you?”_

_“We haven't have time for this. The migration's started”_

_“Look, sorry, I've got a bit of a complex life. Things don't always happen to me in quite the right order. Gets a bit confusing at times, especially at weddings. I'm rubbish at weddings, especially…”_

_“Especially what?” Alyssa asked interested._

_“Oh it’s nothing”_

_“Right”, the red head said clearly not believing him._

_“Oh, my God, of course. You're a time traveller. It hasn't happened to you yet. None of it. It's still in your future”_

_“What hasn't happened?” Alyssa asked._

_“Doctor, Ali, please. Twenty minutes to red hatching, Martha said getting annoyed._

_“It was me. Oh, for God's sake, it was me all along. You got it all from me”, the young woman said realising “Okay, listen. One day you're going to get stuck in 1969. Make sure you've got this with you. You're going to need it”, she explained handing over a file of documents to the Doctor._

_“Ali we’re running out time”, Martha whispered to her “20 minutes until Red Hatching”_

_“Doctor we actually do need to go”_

_“Right. Listen, got to dash. Things happening. Well, four things. Well, four things and a lizard”_

_“Okay. No worries. On you go. See you around some day”, the blonde haired woman said understanding._

_“What was your name?” the Doctor asked._

_“Sally Sparrow”_

_~end~_

Afterwards the Doctor took both Martha and Alyssa to the moon. It would have been rather enjoyable if he hadn’t let slip that it was his and Martha’s fourth time. Alyssa stopped being cross with him when he took her back to Celaeno. Martha stayed behind in the TARDIS to let them have some time alone. The Doctor then took the girls to Oceana Spa which both Martha and Alyssa enjoyed.

“Oh I thought we’d just stay here today”, the Doctor said coming out from under the console where he’d been tinkering away the past hour.

“What are we gonna do?”

“I don’t know what you want to do but I’m going to keep working”

“No you’re not”, Alyssa said and suddenly the sonic shot out of his hand and into hers.

“Hey!”

“You want it. Come and get it”, Alyssa challenged and she ran off. She hurried into the library knowing she could lose him in the vast room. The woman sprinted along isles of books to try and lose the Doctor. She paused to catch her breath and yelped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

“Didn’t see that coming”, the Doctor said plucking the sonic from her hand Alyssa laughed

“No I didn’t”, she agreed turning around so that she faced him. Alyssa put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It’s an old house”, Martha said unimpressed when she stepped out of the TARDIS a day later.

“Don’t judge a house by its looks. Maybe it’s haunted”, Alyssa suggested.

“A haunted house? Really?”

“You never know”

“Why couldn’t we go somewhere more interesting?” Martha asked the Doctor when he finally joined them.

“We will afterwards”, the Doctor replied “Ali I want you to stay with the TARDIS”.

“Why?”

The Doctor couldn’t tell her what he read in the folder that Sally Sparrow had given them so he came up with an excuse “because it’s…”

“If you’re going to say it’s too dangerous, don’t. I’m not about to let you or Martha walk in there without me watching your backs”, Alyssa said walking down the path. The Doctor and Martha followed her.

“Nope. Nothing interesting here”, Martha said as she walked into what appeared to be a sitting room.

“Oh come on Martha. We’ve only been here for a minute. Let’s take a look around”, The Doctor suggested.

“Sounds good to me”, Alyssa agreed. The trio left the room, the Time Lord taking one last look at the room. More specifically the wall where his message was hidden by the wallpaper. Alyssa paused on the stairs.

“Ali?” the Doctor asked noticing her stop.

“I’m ok. You know I think I’m going to have a proper look around downstairs. You two check out upstairs”, Alyssa said. She didn’t wait for a reply before going back downstairs. As Alyssa wandered around downstairs she couldn’t help get the feeling that she was being watched. She shrugged it off and opened the door to basement. Alyssa walked down the steps carefully as the only light she had came from the hallway. When she reached the bottom, she searched the wall for a light. Her fingers found the switch and she flicked it on. 

Alyssa jumped when she turned around and saw an angel statue in the middle. Seeing nothing else of interest the woman decided to go back up. However, the moment she turned off the light she heard the sound of stone scraping along the floor. Alyssa flicked the light back on and turned around. She was surprised when she saw the angel statue had moved forwards. _Must be my imagination_ she thought closing her eyes and rubbing her temples.

When she opened her eyes, Alyssa let out gasp as the angel statue was now right in front of her. Its hands were lowered to expose its stone face. “Doctor!” she called but she got no answer. Alyssa shouted his name louder.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor went back to the stairs when he heard his name being called. He almost fell down the steps in his haste when he heard a scream followed by a crash. He shouted the girl’s name hoping to get an answer from her. He hoped the angels didn’t get her as that wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. At least not according to Sally’s file. The Doctor probably shouldn’t have left Martha upstairs but when he heard Ali call him, he just acted.

“Doctor”, came Alyssa’s voice. It sounded very quiet, almost a whisper but the Doctor heard it. He also knew it wasn’t coming from the ground floor. _Must be a basement._ Sure enough he found an open door with steps leading down. The Time Lord quickly descended them and found Alyssa on the floor with chunks of stone scattered around. He went over to her and helped her sit up.

“What happened?” The Doctor asked worriedly looking at the cut on her face.

“Angel statue”, Alyssa replied “it seemed to move when I wasn’t looking at it”

The Doctor helped her to her feet “that was a Weeping Angel”, he explained “and you managed to destroy it?”

“Yep”, Alyssa said wincing as they walked up the stairs, the Doctor keeping an arm around her waist to support her. “What’s a Weeping Angel?”

“A very dangerous being. They can send you back to the past with just one touch”

“Good thing I didn’t let it touch me then”, Alyssa said “where’s Martha?” she asked not seeing the woman by the doorway.

“She’s upstairs”

“We better go look for her then. What if there are more Weeping Angels?” the woman said worried about Martha.

“I’ll get her. Can you make it to the TARDIS on your own?”

Alyssa nodded wincing as she did so “I think I can”

“Then go. I’ll be there as soon as I get Martha”

He watched the red head leave the house before going back upstairs. The Doctor had a feeling when he saw Alyssa’s injury that neither he nor Martha were going to be walking out of Wester Drumlins anytime soon.

Alyssa hadn’t meant to pass out in the med bay after she fixed the cut on her forehead but she did. Due to her falling unconscious the red head was unaware that the Doctor and Martha hadn’t come back or that the TARDIS had been towed away.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~two day later~

Sally Sparrow followed DI Shipton into the underground car park of the Police Station. She listened to him explain about how all the cars there were picked up from Wester Drumlins over the past two years. The blonde woman noticed a blue police box in the corner. “What's that?”

“Ah! The pride of the Wester Drumlins collection. We found that there, too. Somebody's idea of a joke, I suppose”, Billy replied.

“But what is it? What's a police box?”

“Well, it's a special kind of phone box for policemen. They used to have them all over. But this isn't a real one. The phone's just a dummy, and the windows are the wrong size. We can't even get in it” at those words the door pulled open and a red haired woman stumbled out.

Both Sally and Billy stared at her wide eyed. The woman looked at her surroundings obviously confused. Sally decided to see if there was anything she could do to help. “Miss? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I think. Where am I?”

“The Police Station Underground Car Park”, Billy replied stepping up. He was a little wary of the stranger epically since she just came out of the police box, the one they couldn’t get into.

“Huh must’ve been unconscious for a long time. I didn’t realised Sexy had moved. I guess it must’ve looked strange to you to see a police box just appear”

“The box didn’t appear here. It was towed. We found it outside Wester Drumlins two days ago”, Billy explained.

“Two days? Didn’t anyone ask around about me or the box?”

“Sorry no one’s asked about you…”

“Alyssa Palmer. But you can call me Ali”

“Well then I’m sorry Ali but no one has enquired about you or the police box”

Alyssa’s shoulders slumped “there must’ve been another one upstairs. That’s why they didn’t come back”

“What are you talking about?” Sally asked confused.

“A Weeping Angel took my friends. I don’t know how I’m going to find them. I’m not even sure what year they’d been sent back to”

“Ok Ali maybe we need to get you to a hospital”

“I’m not crazy”, Alyssa retorted.

“No offense but you sound a little crazy and you fell out of that thing”, Billy said geusturing to it “come to think of it, how did you even get in there?”

“That is a very long story. And _She_ is not an it”

Sally decided that it was a good time to step in “why don’t I buy you a coffee or tea Ali?” she suggested. The blonde haired woman had a feeling that Alyssa wasn’t at all crazy and could help her figure out what was going on at Wester Drumlins.

“I don’t really have time for a cup of tea uh…”

“Sally. Sally Sparrow”

Alyssa was momentarily surprised by the woman’s name. _Come the think of it, she did look rather familiar_ she thought recalling the Red Hatching incident. “You know what Sally? I’ve changed my mind. A cup of tea would be nice”, she said.


	47. Blink part 2

“Ali I found this key in the hands of one of the angels when I was at Wester Drumlins”, Sally said pulling out a key from her coat pocket after they left the car park. Alyssa stared at it knowing exactly what it is.

_“Oh and you’ll need this”, the Doctor said giving her a key._

_“A key?”_

_“It’s a TARDIS key. Call it a frequent flyer privilege and it was about time you got one”_

Alyssa ran back into the underground car park with Sally following. “She’s gone!” Alyssa exclaimed when she saw that the TARDIS was no longer there.

“She? Are you talking about that police box?”

“Yes. That is more than just a police box. It’s a TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimensions in Space”, Alyssa explained “it’s a spaceship. That can go anywhere in time and space”.

“A real spaceship?”

“She’s a real as you and me”

“You keep calling it ‘She’. Why is that?”

“Because the TARDIS is a She”

“And this key I found opens the TARDIS”

“Yep. But what I don’t get is why she’s gone. She wouldn’t go without me unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless the Weeping Angels took it. I just wish the Doctor was here, he’d know what to do. He says I’m brilliant many times but I think I’m out of my depth on this one”

“The Doctor left me a message on the wall at Wester Drumlins. Maybe he wants me to help you figure out what to do”

“Well I’m gonna…” Alyssa trailed off when a phone rang. It was Sally’s mobile. The blonde woman answered it. Alyssa listened to Sally have a short conversation with Billy. “Are you ok?” she asked seeing the expression on Sally’s face.

“That was Billy”, she replied quietly.

“Billy?”

“The man you met. He wants to meet us at the hospital, Geriatric ward”

Alyssa frowned completely confused “but isn’t that for the elderly? Your friend Billy didn’t look that old”

“I think it would be best to go there so he could explain”

The red haired woman nodded in agreement.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyssa stood by the window looking out at the rain as Sally and Billy talked. “She looks nice”, Sally commented looking at the wedding photo on the table by the bed.

“Her name was Sally, too. I often thought about looking for you before tonight, but apparently it would've torn a hole in the fabric of space and time, and destroyed two thirds of the universe. Also, I'd lost my hair”

“Torn a hole in the fabric of space and time? The guy you got that from didn’t happen to have brown hair; wear a blue suit and converse and a long brown coat did he?”

Billy nodded “I met him in 1969 with a dark skinned woman”

“The Doctor and Martha”

Billy nodded again “He sent me with a message for you Sally”

“And what was the message?”

“Just this. Look at the list”

“What does that mean? Is that it? Look at the list?”

“He said you'd have it by now. A list of seventeen DVDs. I didn't stay a policeman back then. Got into publishing. Then video publishing. Then DVDs, of course”, Billy explained.

“You put the Easter Egg on”, Sally said realising. Alyssa didn’t understand what they were talking about but didn’t want to interrupt their conversation.

“Have you noticed what all seventeen DVDs have in common yet? I suppose it's hard for you, in a way”

“How could the Doctor have even known I had a list? I only just got this”

“He’s a Time Traveller”, Alyssa said thinking about the file that the future Sally Sparrow gave to the Doctor. _She must’ve included a list of the DVD’s in there._ Sally waited for her to expand on that but Alyssa never did.

“As soon as I figure it out, I’ll come and tell you”

“No, gorgeous girl, you can't. There's only tonight. He told me all those years ago that we'll only meet again this one time. On the night I die”

Alyssa was saddened to hear that. She gaze landed on the wedding photograph _at least he had a happy life. Even if it was in the past._

“I'll stay. I'm going to stay with you, okay?” Sally said also saddened by the news.

“Me too”

“Thank you, Sally Sparrow, Alyssa Palmer. I have till the rain stops”

After a while Billy spoke up again “the Doctor wanted me to give you a message too Ali”

“What is it?”

“The Doctor is sorry you got hurt and that he left you alone”

“It’s not his fault. It’s the Weeping Angels”, Alyssa said fiddling with the chain around her neck. 

“He also wanted you to know that he loves you, his brilliant Ali”

Alyssa smiled at that “thank you Billy for telling me. I needed that”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Wester Drumlins~

Alyssa waited in the sitting room for Sally’s friend Larry to show up. Shortly after Billy had passed away, the blonde woman figured out that the list of DVD’s were all the ones that she had. Soon Sally came in with Larry who was carrying a portable player. It didn’t take long for him to get it set up.

“Okay, this is the one with the clearest sound. Slightly better picture quality on this one, but I don't know…” Larry said a bit sceptical about the Easter egg being intended for Sally.

“Just play it”, Alyssa said and Larry did so. The trio sat down in front of the small screen and watched the Doctor come into view and sit down.

“Okay. There he is”

“The Doctor”, Sally said.

“Who's the Doctor?” Larry asked confused.

“He's the Doctor”, Alyssa said happy to see him even if it was on a screen.

“Yup. That's me”, the Doctor confirmed.

“Okay, that was scary”, Sally commented.

“No, it sounds like he's replying, but he always says that”, Larry assured her.

“Yes, I do”

“And that”

“Yup. And this”

“He can hear us. Oh, my God, you can really hear us?”

“It’s just a recording Sally”, Alyssa replied. _He must’ve a complete copy of the transcript too._

“And I've got a transcript of everything he says”, Larry added showing the girls. He started to read off some of the lines the Doctor had already said when Alyssa interrupted him with

“Are you going to read out the whole thing?” she didn’t bat an eye when the Doctor said it with her in perfect unison.

“Sorry”, Larry apologised.

“Who are you?” Sally asked.

“I told you at the hospital earlier. He’s a time traveller”, Alyssa reminded her.

“Or I was. Now I'm stuck in 1969”

Martha stuck her head in “We're stuck. All of space and time, he promised me. Now I've got a job in a shop. I've got to support him!” she said crossly “I really wish you were here Ali. He’s been a right nightmare to live with”

“Hey!” the Doctor protested.

“Sorry to hear that Martha. Remind me to make it up to you”, Alyssa said. It was strange to be having a conversation with her friends like they were actually in the room and not on a recording.

“I’m going to hold you to that”, Martha said and moved her head away.

“1969, that's where you're talking from?” Sally asked the Doctor.

“Afraid so”, the Time Lord replied.

“But you're replying to me. You can't know exactly what I'm going to say, forty years before I say it”

“Thirty eight”, the Doctor corrected.

“I'm getting this down. I'm writing in yours and Ali’s bits”, Larry said scribbling down what the girls have been saying.

“How? How is this possible? Tell me”

“Not so fast”

“People don't understand time. It's not what you think it is”

“Then what is it?”

“Complicated”, the Doctor replied.

“Tell me”

“Very complicated”

“I'm clever and I'm listening. And don't patronise me because people have died, and I'm not happy. Tell me”, Sally said firmly. _I like this girl_ Alyssa thought.

“People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey stuff”

Alyssa laughed at that sentence as it sounded pretty good at the beginning then it turned ridiculous. “That sentence kinda got away from you, didn’t it Spaceman?”

“It got away from me, yeah”, the Doctor admitted.

“Doctor you’ve got a finished transcript don’t you? That’s how you know what any of us are going to say”

The Doctor smiled “that’s right Ali. I've got a copy of the finished transcript on my autocue”

“How can you have a copy of the finished transcript? It's still being written”, Sally said trying to make sense of how that was possible.

“Like Ali said before I’m a time traveller. I got it from the future” _thought so_ Alyssa thought.

“Okay, let me get my head round this. You're reading aloud from a transcript of a conversation you're still having”

“Wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey”, Alyssa and the Doctor said together.

“What matters is, we can communicate. We have got big problems now. They have taken the blue box, haven't they? The angels have the phone box”

“Yeah they do”, Alyssa said.

“You mean the Weeping Angels”, Sally said.

“Yes. They’re creatures from another world”

“But they're just statues”

“Only when you see them”, Alyssa said shivering in remembrance of her encounter with the Weeping Angel. 

“What does that mean?” Sally asked.

“The lonely assassins, they used to be called. No one quite knows where they came from, but they're as old as the universe, or very nearly, and they have survived this long because they have the most perfect defence system ever evolved. They are quantum-locked. They don't exist when they're being observed. The moment they are seen by any other living creature, they freeze into rock. No choice. It's a fact of their biology. In the sight of any living thing, they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. Of course, a stone can't kill you either. But then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh yes it can”

Sally looked up and saw a stone angel “Don't take your eyes off that”, she said. Alyssa looked at the angel to keep it fixed while Sally and Larry listened to the rest of the Doctor’s message. The Time Lord continued his explanation.

“That's why they cover their eyes. They're not weeping. They can't risk looking at each other. Their greatest asset is their greatest curse. They can never be seen. The loneliest creatures in the universe. And I'm sorry. I am very, very sorry. It's up to you now”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“The blue box, it's my time machine. There is a world of time energy in there they could feast on forever, but the damage they could do could switch off the sun. You have got to send it back to me”

“Larry I need you to look at the angel. I’ve got to blink”, Alyssa said. She blinked when Larry said she could.

“And that's it, I'm afraid. There's no more from you on the transcript, that's the last I've got. I don't know what stopped you talking, but I can guess. They're coming. The angels are coming for you. But listen, your life could depend on this. Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast. Faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink. Good luck”

“No! Don't! You can't!” Sally exclaimed as the screen froze.

“I'll rewind him”, Larry said taking his eyes off the angel. Alyssa tensed when she could sense the angel move. She glanced up and gasped when she saw the angel towering over them. The trio quickly got to their feet not taking their eyes off the angel.

“Ok we’re going to head to the front door. Larry, you and I will keep looking at this one. Sally guide us backwards”, Alyssa said taking charge. She couldn’t afford to freak out not when Sally and Larry’s lives were at stake.

“Right”

It wasn’t easy but they managed to get to the doorway with both Alyssa and Larry taking it in turns to blink. Sally ran down the hall to the front door.

“It’s locked”, she said coming back to them.

Alyssa cursed under her breath. Then she heard something that made her mentally cheer. **_Get to the basement Ali_. **“We’ve got to get to the basement”, she said.

“Why?” Larry asked keeping his gaze locked on the angel. Alyssa could tell that he was terrified.

“The police box is down there”, Alyssa replied.

“Basement it is”, Sally agreed remembering what Alyssa said about it being a spaceship.

“Sally, Larry go. I’ll keep the angel here as long as I can”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sally and Larry hurried to the basement where sure enough the TARDIS was sat. Unfortunately there were two more angels down by there too. Keeping their eyes on the angels, the pair make their way to the blue box. As they reached it, Alyssa ran down the steps. She backed up as the third angel was now in the room. 

“Why's it pointing at the light?” Larry asked.

“Oh, my God, it's turning out the lights”, Sally exclaimed. Alyssa pulled out her key and turned around to unlock the TARDIS while Sally and Larry kept an eye on the angels.

“Quickly!” Larry shouted as the angels drew closer with the flickering light.

“I’m trying”, Alyssa snapped as she finally pushed the key into the lock.

“Ali, hurry up! Get it open!” Sally shouted as the angels got even closer to them. Alyssa twisted the key and pushed open the door. Both Sally and Larry fell over their own feet in their haste to get inside. Alyssa quickly slammed the door shut.

The moment they all picked themselves from the floor a hologram of the Doctor appeared “This is security protocol seven one two. This time capsule has detected the presence of an authorised control disc, valid one journey”

Larry takes out the DVD which he’d pocketed. The DVD glows. “Please insert the disc and prepare for departure”, the Doctor instructed.

“Give me the DVD. I know where to put it”, Alyssa said holding her hand out. Suddenly the ship shook.

“They're trying to get in!” Larry exclaimed.

“The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn’t get through there. So I highly doubt Weeping Angels can”, Alyssa said snatching the DVD from Larry’s hand. She inserts the DVD and the time rotor starts up. **_Hold on to the console sweetie_ **the TARDIS instructs and Alyssa did so. She and the TARDIS disappeared leaving Sally and Larry behind.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor grinned when he saw the TARDIS sitting in the alleyway. The same alleyway that he and Martha had appeared in. “that’s a sight for sore eyes”, Martha commented happy to see the blue box.

“Yep”, the Doctor agreed. His smile grew wider when the door opened to reveal Alyssa. She stepped out and ran towards them. Instead of hugging the Doctor first, Alyssa embraced Martha.

“You ok Martha?”

“I’m better now that you’re here. You can look after him”, Martha said gesturing to the Doctor.

“Yeah I think I can do that”

Alyssa turned to the Doctor but she didn’t hug him. She punched him in the arm. “That was for being a nightmare to Martha and for not telling us about what was in the file Sally gave you” the red head then hugged him “this is for both you and Martha being safe”, she explained smiling.


	48. The year that never was part 1

“I’m sorry you’re having to look after me on your birthday”, Alyssa said to her mother as she came in with another cup of tea. She’d been feeling lousy the moment she got up which was strange as she had been feeling fine when the Doctor dropped her off the night before.

“You don’t need to apologise Ali. These things happen”, Sarah said understandingly.

“Wait mum I got you something”, Alyssa said getting out of bed. She went to where she had hidden her mother’s card and gift. Alyssa decided to give the flowers to her later. She handed the card and present to her mother before sitting back down on the bed.

Sarah sat perched on the bed and opened the wrapped gift. It was a pendant where a silver S hung from the chain. “I love it. Thank you sweetheart”, Sarah said hugging her daughter.

“Your welcome mum”, the 23 year old said. Sarah then left Alyssa to rest. _I wonder what the Doctor is doing_ she thought as she sipped her tea _probably getting in trouble knowing him._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of hours later Alyssa dragged herself out of bed, changed out of her pj’s and headed downstairs. “Hey honey feeling any better?” Sarah asked when Alyssa entered the living room. The young woman just flopped on the sofa next to her. “I take that as a no then”, Sarah said “do you want any more tea?” she asked.

“Yes please”, Alyssa replied. When Sarah left, Alyssa picked up the remote and started to flick through the channels. She jumped when fanfare started to play on a random channel a four bold words appeared on the screen.

**Saxon Broadcast All Channels**

“Britain, Britain, Britain. What extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies. You've seen it happen”, Mr Saxon said. Various clips were played as the man spoke. “Big Ben destroyed. A spaceship over London. All those ghosts and metal men. The Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again, and the government told you nothing. Well, not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose here today is to tell you this. Citizens of Great Britain, I have been contacted. A message for humanity, from beyond the stars”

Alyssa’s eyes widened when a couple of metal sphere’s appeared on the screen. Sarah came in at that carrying to mugs of tea and stared at the screen. “People of the Earth. We come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship”, one of the spheres said. Its voice sounded like a female.

“Ooo, sweet. And this species has identified itself”, Mr Saxon said happily. Alyssa got a really bad feeling about those spheres. “They are called the Toclafane and tomorrow morning, they will appear. Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species will begin”

“Sounds rather exciting doesn’t it?” Sarah asked Alyssa as she handed her a mug of tea.

“Yeah exciting”, Alyssa replied rather unenthusiastically.

She wasn’t the only one who was uneasy about it. The Doctor was too. He sat in Martha’s apartment watching it on the TV. “Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. Oh, I don't know, every medical student?”

The Doctor turned Martha’s TV around to reveal some explosives. “Out!” he shouted. Jack, Martha and the Doctor quickly vacate Martha’s small home just before it explodes. “All right?” the Doctor asked getting to his feet.

“Fine. Yeah, fine”

Martha didn’t answer him as she was too busy dialling her family “Martha? What are you doing?” the Doctor asked.

“He knows about me. What about my family?”

“Don't tell them anything”, the Doctor said as he didn’t know who would be listening in the conversation.

“I'll do what I like”, Martha snapped holding her phone to her ear.

“Maybe you should call Ali. Make sure she’s ok”, Jack suggested. The Doctor agreed and rung Alyssa.

“Hey Doctor”

“Are you ok Ali?” the Time Lord asked as she didn’t sound quite right on the phone.

“I’m ok”

“You sure? You don’t sound it”

“I’m fine. Not quite feeling 100% but you don’t have to worry. It’s probably a 24hr bug thing”, Alyssa assured him “did you see those Toclafane things on TV?”

“Yeah I did. Listen Ali I want you and your mother to stay at home. Don’t go anywhere”

“Is it the Toclafane?”

“Yes. Please promise me you’ll stay indoors”

Alyssa sighed “I promise”

“See you later Ali”

“See you later Spaceman”

“You didn’t tell her about the bomb”, Jack said after the Doctor hung up.

“If I had she wouldn’t have stayed at home. At least this way I know Ali is safe”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Everything alright sweetheart?” Sarah asked noticing that Alyssa had come off the phone.

“Yep. That was just John. He wanted to wish you a happy birthday”

“Well that’s nice of him”

As the Doctor told her to stay at home Alyssa suggested a movie marathon with Pizza. “You sure you’ll be able to manage pizza?” Sarah asked when it got around dinner time.

“Pretty sure I can manage a couple of slices”, Alyssa replied. So Sarah ordered a pizza for them to share. They continued with the Harry Potter Marathon after the pizza came. Throughout the marathon, Sarah noticed that Alyssa seemed distracted.

“Ali are you sure everything is ok?” Sarah asked as her daughter headed up to bed.

“Yeah mum everything is fine”, Alyssa assured her. As she was about to swap her clothes for her pj’s there was a flash of light. Alyssa stared at the woman who’d just appeared in her room. She looked like the curly haired woman who took hers and Ben’s picture in Paris. Before she could say anything, the woman spoke.

“Ali I don’t have time to explain so just trust me ok?”

“Trust you? I don’t even know you”

The woman smiled “oh you will”, she said reaching out and taking hold of her wrist. The woman then pressed a button on her vortex manipulator and they both vanished. Alyssa groaned when they reappeared.

“You’ll get used to it”

“I hope not. Where are we?”

“On board the Valiant”

“And why did you bring me here?”

“So you can destroy the paradox machine”, the woman said “it’s the reason you’re not feeling very well”, she added.

“How do I find it?”

“It’s pretty easy. Just listen”

Alyssa raised a brow “just listen?”

“Yep. But you better find it quickly. There’s only 10 minutes before it is turned on. Good luck”

Alyssa shielded her eyes as the woman disappeared in a flash of light. “I guess I better go find that paradox machine”, she said to herself before running down the corridor. It wasn’t easy to run as the sick feeling she had was worse than it was at home.

Alyssa stopped in a corridor when she heard something. It was similar to the singing she heard in that ‘head game’. However, it didn’t sound right. Alyssa wasted no time following it. It led her to the TARDIS! She gasped when she saw what the blue box looked like when she stepped in. Alyssa pushed aside any ill feeling she had as she walked around the console. “Ok how do I get you back to your normal self-Sexy?” she asked.

Much to her surprise she didn’t get an answer. “Guess I’ll have to figure it out on my own”


	49. The year that never was part 2

Alyssa stood in front of the console taking deep breaths. She was going to try to see if she could use her abilities in some way to undo whatever has been done the TARDIS. Alyssa raised her hands and focused. _Oh come on!_ She thought as nothing happened. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. Alyssa eventually heard something shake but didn’t get too excited as she didn’t want to lose focus. However, her concentration was broken when she heard two or more people running towards the TARIDS. Thinking quickly, she darted around the console to a corridor which led to the rest of the ship. Alyssa leant against the wall hoping that whoever it was didn’t come her way.  She tensed when the people came into the TARDIS. 

When she heard Jack’s voice however, she relaxed. “What the hell's he done?” the man asked. Alyssa stepped out from where she hid.

“She’s been turned into a paradox machine”, she said surprising the Doctor, Martha and Jack.

“Ali what are you doing here?” the Doctor asked “I thought I told you to stay at home”

“I didn’t exactly plan to leave this. This lady appeared in my room and brought here. She told me that I had to destroy the paradox machine which I was trying to do before you turned up”, Alyssa explained.

“You think you can?” the Doctor asked.

“Well the curly haired lady wouldn’t have brought me here if I couldn’t”

 “You ok Firefly?” Jack asked noticing that she was pale.

“Not really. This machine is the reason I’m not feeling well” the Doctor gave her a concerned look “but I’ll be fine once we shut this thing off”

“Don’t do it yet”

“Why shouldn’t she do it Doctor? We can stop this now”, Jack said confused.

“We’ve got to get the Master first. Knowing him, he’d have a back-up plan”

“The Master?” Alyssa asked.

“Mr Saxon”, Jack explained.

 _Hm seems like there’s a bit I’ve missed out on. “_ It’s all well and good you saying you’ve got to get the Master but do you have a plan on how to do that?” Alyssa asked.

“Yep” The Doctor then proceeded to tell them the plan. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While Alyssa waited with the Paradox machine, the Doctor, Martha and Jack made their way to the flight deck. They crept around the room to get as close as they could to the Master. The other Time Lord is currently sitting down listening to President Winters give his speech. “And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane”

Four Toclafane appear and the President continues “My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President Elect of the United States of America, and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon”

“You're not the Master”, a male sphere said

“We like the Mister Master”, a female sphere added.

“We don't like you”, the second male sphere put in.

“I can be master, if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you, if that is God's will”, President Winters said not understanding what they meant.

“Man is stupid”, the second male sphere said.

“Master is our friend”

“Where's my Master, pretty please?” the female sphere asked. At those words the Master stood up.

“Oh, all right then. It's me. Ta da! Sorry, sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy”, he said.

“Saxon, what are you talking about?” President Winters asked completely confused.

“I'm taking control, Uncle Sam, starting with you”, the Master replied “Kill him”, he ordered the Toclafane. One of the four shoots President Winters and chaos erupts in the room as the other invited guests tried to escape.

The Doctor then took his chance to get his key around the Master’s neck but he was stopped by two guards. “We meet at last, Doctor. Oh, ho. I love saying that”, the Master said gleefully.

“Stop it! Stop it now!” the Doctor ordered.

“As if a perception filter's going to work on me. And look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which”, the Master said looking at where Jack and Martha where standing. “If I’m not mistaken there’s someone missing. Someone you care deeply for. A certain red head”

The Doctor didn’t say anything. He couldn’t afford to give away that Alyssa was on board too. “Maybe I should pay her a little visit. See if I can’t persuade her that she chose the wrong Time Lord”

Jack then chose the time to rush forward and the Master shot him with his laser screwdriver. “Laser screwdriver. Who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!”

The Doctor tried to talk to him, to get him to stop but the other Time Lord’s response was to use the laser screwdriver on him. Martha watches this angrily but there wasn’t anything she could do. _Thank god Ali isn’t here to see thing_ she thought knowing that the red head would’ve gone ballistic over what the Master had done. She crawled over to the Doctor when the Master had stopped using the screwdriver on him. “Aw, she's a would-be doctor”, the Master said with fake sympathy as Martha helped the now aged Doctor sit up.

Then the door slid open and Clive, Tish and Francine are brought in, escorted by guards. “I'm sorry”, Francine says. She only wanted to protect her daughter from the Doctor. She had no idea who Saxon really was until it was too late.

“The Toclafane. What are they? Who are they?” the Doctor asked breathing heavily.

“Doctor, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break”, the Master replied.

“Is it time? Is it ready?” a male Toclafane asked.

“Is the machine singing?” a female Toclafane also asked.

“Two minutes past. So, Earthings. Basically, er, end of the world. Here come the drums!”

The second the paradox machine activated, Alyssa felt an agonising pain go through her body. She screamed clutching her head as she fell to her knees. “I’m sorry Doctor”, Alyssa whispered before succumbing to the pain.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Months had passed since the Paradox machine had been turned on. Months of the Doctor worrying about Alyssa’s wellbeing. It wasn’t long after it the machine had been turned on that the Master was informed of Alyssa’s presence on board the Valiant. She’d apparently slipped into a coma and it didn’t look like she was going to wake up soon. The Master had regularly questioned the Doctor as to why the girl was in that condition. He was aware of Alyssa’s abilities and knew that she would be a good asset to have on his side. The Doctor had told him repeatedly that it was the Paradox Machine that was causing it but the Master wouldn’t listen to him.

Then one day instead of the usual questioning, the Master told the Doctor that Alyssa had finally woken up. He sat the elderly Doctor in his wheelchair and parked it by the long wooden table. The Master then went and to get Alyssa to bring her to the flight deck. The Doctor could tell right away that Alyssa wasn’t herself. She was extremely pale and she had to rely heavily on the Master for support. The Master sat her down in a chair next to the Doctor. “Ali”, the Doctor said making the girl frown.

“Do I know you?” she asked quietly.

“This is the Doctor Alyssa”, the Master replied “Don’t you remember him?”

The Doctor’s hearts sank when Alyssa shook her head. “Can I go back to my room now?”

“Of course my dear” the Master said helping her up.  Just before they left the room, Alyssa heard three words. Three words that stirred something in the back of her mind.

“My brilliant Ali”


	50. The year that never was part 3

~ Several months later~

“Master? Why have you brought me here?” Alyssa asked he took her to the flight deck.

“I wanted the pleasure of your company”, the Master replied. Alyssa looks over at the Doctor, gives him a small smile as the Master sat her down in the chair. That was enough to let the Doctor know she’d remembered who he was. It had taken a long time for her to recover her memories as she was in constant pain from the Paradox machine. In fact it was thanks to the Doctor that she remembered at all. Those three words months ago that jogged something in her mind. Then it was all down to patience and the Doctor’s subtle hints in their very brief conversations.

Of course she couldn’t tell the Doctor that she was recalling her memories as the Master was always present. So that small smile she gave him was the first sign he’d received that she had remembered. Alyssa quickly drops her expression, leaving her face blank so that the Master wouldn’t suspect anything. 

“Ali do you know, I remember the days when the Doctor, oh, that famous Doctor, was waging a Time War, battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade single handed. And look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers”, the Master said to Alyssa “How did he ever come to this? Oh yeah, me”.

“What do you think would be a fitting punishment my dear?” the Master asked Alyssa. She just shrugged in response.

“Oh I know! Torturing you” with that he shot Alyssa with his laser screwdriver making her scream.

“Stop this. Please”, the Doctor pleaded as the woman writhed around in agony. The Master just ignored him and shot Alyssa again. She screamed again, this time falling off the chair as her entire body shook. “Do what you want to me but please let her go”, the Doctor begged. It was killing him to watch the woman he loved be tortured in front of him and there was nothing he could do.

“Say my name”, the Master demanded as he shot Alyssa again.

“Master”, the Doctor whispered, tears in his eyes “please”. The Master looked at the Doctor and lowered his laser screw driver.

“Take her away”, he said to one on the guards who nodded. He grabbed the woman’s arms and dragged her off as she could barely stand. The Doctor watched them go, with a pained look on his face.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later…

“Tomorrow, they launch. We're opening up a rift in the Braccatolian space. They won't see us coming. It kind of scary”, the Master said to the Doctor who was now a bird cage.  To send Martha a message, the Master used his laser screwdriver to age the Doctor hundreds of more years so he now looked like a small Gollum like creature with large eyes.

“Then stop”

“Once the Empire is established, and there's a new Gallifrey in the heavens, maybe then it stops. The drumming. The never ending drumbeat. Ever since I was a child. I looked into the vortex. That's when it chose me. The drumming, the call to war. Can't you hear it? Listen, it's there now. Right now. Tell me you can hear it, Doctor. Tell me”

“It's only you”, the Doctor replied.

“Good”, the Master said happy. A Toclafane entered the room. It spoke with a female voice.

“Tomorrow, the war. Tomorrow we rise, never to fall”

“You see? I'm doing it for them. You should be grateful. After all, you love them so very, very much”, the Master said to the Doctor. “I took Lucy to Utopia. A Time Lord and his human companion. I took her to see the stars. Isn't that right, sweetheart?”

“Trillions of years into the future, to the end of the universe”, Lucy said.

“Tell him what you saw”

“Dying. Everything dying. The whole of creation was falling apart, and I thought, there's no point. No point to anything. Not ever”, the blonde woman explained.

“And it's all your fault”, the Master said looking at the Doctor with obvious hate. “You should have seen it, Doctor. Furnaces burning. The last of humanity screaming at the dark. All that human invention that had sustained them across the eons. It all turned inwards. They cannibalised themselves”

“We made ourselves so pretty”, the female Toclafane added.

“Regressing into children. But it didn't work. The universe was collapsing around them. My masterpiece, Doctor. A living Tardis, strong enough to hold the paradox in place, allowing the past and the future to collide in infinite majesty”

“But you're changing history. Not just Earth, the entire universe”

“I'm a Time Lord. I have that right”, the Master retorted and with that he led his wife out of the room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next morning Alyssa was brought back to the flight deck, well it was more like she was dragged in by two guards. She was brought over to Jack and practically shoved into his arms. He immediately put his arms around her to keep her upright. “Jack”, she whispered just about managing to look up at him. She was so tired.

“Hey Firefly. Fancy seeing you here”, he said trying to make light of the situation. Truth be told he was very worried about her, she looked worse than he did. It made him angry to think what the Master had done to make her look like that. 

“Yeah” Alyssa said, her voice barely audible. Jack almost dropped her when she suddenly went limp. He glanced down at the woman to see she’d passed out. From his cage, the Doctor looked at Alyssa extremely worried. He knew that the Master’s torture had only made her condition worse and it was only a matter of time before her body gives up. He hoped that she would hold on long enough for his plan to work.

Moments later Martha was escorted in by a guard. She was brought in front of the Master and forced onto her knees. “At zero, to mark this day, the child Martha Jones, will die. My first blood”, the Master said to everyone “Any last words?” he asked and Martha didn’t reply. He continued talking about how Martha was such as disappointment. He was cut off by said woman laughing. 

“What. What's so funny?”

“A gun”, Martha replied smiling.

“What about it?”

“A gun in four parts?”

“Yes, and I destroyed it”

“A gun in four parts scattered across the world? I mean, come on, did you really believe that?”

“What do you mean?” the Master asked still not understanding.

“As if I would ask her to kill”, the Doctor said. 

“Oh well, it doesn't matter. I've got her exactly where I want her”

“But I knew what Professor Docherty would do. The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun, so she'd get me here at the right time”

“Oh, but you're still going to die”

“Don't you want to know what I was doing, travelling the world?” Martha asked.

“Tell me”

“I told a story, that's all. No weapons, just words. I did just what the Doctor said. I went across the continents all on my own. And everywhere I went, I found the people, and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor. And I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor”

“Faith and hope? Is that all?”

“No, because I gave them an instruction, just as the Doctor said”, Martha stood up “I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time”

“Nothing will happen. Is that your weapon? Prayer?”

“Right across the world, in word, just one thought at one moment but with fifteen satellites”

“What?”

“The Archangel Network”, Jack said shifting his hold on Alyssa who’d yet to regain consciousness.

“A telepathic field binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word is Doctor”

The clock hits zero and the Doctor and his cage starts to glow. “Stop it. No, no, no, no, you don't”

Around the room people started to chant “Doctor”. Alyssa tiredly opened her eyes to see people chanting the Doctor’s name. As everyone chanted, she could hear numerous voices in her mind echoing the same word over and over. She added her own voice to the chant, whispering the Doctor’s name.  

“I've had a whole year to tune myself into the psychic network and integrate with its matrices”, the Doctor said his appearance still getting younger.  

“I order you to stop!” the Master shouted but everyone ignored him.

“The one thing you can't do. Stop them thinking. Tell me the human race is degenerate now, when they can do this”

Martha stopped chanting and runs to give her family a group hug. The Master fires his laser screwdriver at the Doctor but it doesn’t hit him as there was still golden force field around him. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry”

“Then I'll kill the one you love”, the Master said determined to make the Doctor suffer even more. Jack turned away using his body to shield the woman but he needn’t have done as the Doctor made the Master’s screwdriver fly out of his hand.

The Master dropped to the floor and curled up in a ball and the Doctor puts his arms around him. “I forgive you”, the Doctor said to him.

“My children”, the Master said. 

“Captain, the paradox machine!” the Doctor ordered realising that the Master has ordered all the Toclafane back.

“I’ll help”, Alyssa said quietly.

“Ali you can barely stand”

“So?” Alyssa said.

“Ok fine”, Jack said rather reluctantly. If he didn’t take her along she’d probably try to get there by herself and end up passing out along the way. He gathered the woman up in his arms and ran out of the room, two guards following.

Jack stopped when he saw three Toclafane guarding the TARDIS. “Put me down Jack”, Alyssa said and he complied keeping his hands on her shoulders to keep her upright.

“You sure you can do this?”

“Yes”, Alyssa replied raising her hands and used her powers to pull them away from the blue box, smashing them against the walls “come on”, she said moving forward out of his grip. Jack quickly moved with her giving her support. When they entered the TARDIS Alyssa cried out in pain, her legs giving way. If Jack wasn’t holding her up, she would’ve fallen.

“I’m getting you out of here”, Jack said and tried to lead her back out the door.

“No”, she gasped “save her. Save her”

“Ali!” Jack exclaimed as she passed out once more. He laid her gently on the console room floor and hurried out snatching a gun from one of the guards. Jack ran back in the TARDIS and emptied the clip at the Paradox machine. There is a big bang just before it turns off. Then the entire ship begins to shake.

“Jack”, Alyssa whispered. He hurried over and knelt by her. Jack watched as she just manages to get her charm bracelet off “give this to the Doctor”, she said holding it up “to remember me”

“He won’t need that to remember you. He’ll have you”

“No…he…won’t….” Alyssa managed to say before her eyes fluttered shut.

“Ali? Ali!”

The woman didn’t respond. Jack put two fingers to her neck to check her pulse and found a very weak one. He stood up and ran out of the TARDIS.


	51. After the year that never was

It was a pretty tense in the TARDIS for the next few days while the Doctor, Jack and Martha waited for Alyssa to wake. Thankfully the Doctor had managed to get her stable but she was still very weak. “How’s he doing?” Jack asked Martha who was currently making tea.

“The same. He hasn’t moved from her side”, she replied “Ali’s got to pull through. I don’t think the Doctor could handle it if he’d lost her”.

“I know”, Jack agreed.

~med bay~

The Doctor shifted in his seat holding Alyssa’s hand “please wake up Ali”, he said quietly “I can’t lose you too. You’re the only thing I’ve got left so please, please wake up”

The woman didn’t reply. Didn’t even move. She just laid there, eyes closed. The Doctor rubbed his face his free hand and closed his eyes. He frowned when he thought heard a voice whispering his name. **_Doctor!_** The voice said loudly making him jump.

“Sexy?”

**_Hello_ **

“I couldn’t hear you before only Ali could. Why can I hear you now?”

**_Ali’s psychic abilities allowed her to hear me. It’s taking a bit more effort to talk to you. You may have a bit of a headache afterward._ **

“It’s worth it if I can talk to you. So why are you talking to me now?”

**_I care for Alyssa as much as you do and I don’t want to lose her either. There is a way you can save her._ **

“There is? Tell me”, the Doctor said. If the TARDIS had a way he was willing to do it to save Alyssa.

**_I must warn you there is a chance this won’t work. It could make it worse._ **

“Sexy, I love Ali. I can’t lose her. If there is a chance your way can save her, I’m taking it”

 ** _Very well. Take Ali to the console room and place her on the floor near to the panel where my heart is_** the TARDIS instructed. The Doctor nodded and unhooked Alyssa from the machines. He then picked her up and carried her out of the med bay.

“Doctor what are you doing?” Jack asked as he passed them with the red haired woman in his arms.

“Saving her”, he replied walking down the corridor towards the console room.

“Saving her? How?” Martha asked as they followed him. The Doctor didn’t answer her and kept going. He gently laid her down on the grilled floor where the TARDIS told him to.

“Now what Sexy?” he asked.

**_I’m going to use my heart to heal her. Like I said before this may make her condition worse are you sure?_ **

“I’m sure”

 ** _Stand back_ **the TARDIS instructed before opening the panel that contained her heart. The Doctor ushered both Martha and Jack back.

“Doctor whats happening?” Martha asked as wisps of golden energy drifted out of the console and into Alyssa.

“She’s saving Ali”

“Can the heart of the TARDIS do that?” Jack asked.

“She said she can”, he replied. The trio watched as Alyssa’s body started to glow with a soft gold light. Martha and Jack had to turn away when the light grew brighter. Eventually even the Doctor had to shield his eyes. He could only hope that going by what was happening, the TARDIS’s method was working. The Doctor lowered his hand when the light started to fade. Martha and Jack turned back in time to see the golden energy leave Alyssa’s body via her mouth. It floated up and back into the heart of the TARDIS. When the panel closed, the Doctor went over to Alyssa. “Ali?” he said gently touching her cheek. His face broke out in a smile when she stirred under his touch.

“Doctor”, she murmured opening her eyes. Jack and Martha came over and knelt down beside her. “Jack I’m sorry about that thing earlier. I really thought I was…”

“It’s ok Ali. Don’t worry about it”, Jack said quickly interrupting her.

“How are you feeling?” Martha asked.

“Better. Much better actually”, Alyssa replied slowly sitting up with the Doctor helping her “good to see Sexy back normal”.

“Come on. Let’s get you checked out”, the Doctor said standing up and held out his hands. Alyssa took them and the Time Lord helped her to her feet. He had to carry the woman to the med bay when her legs gave out.

“How long before you get the results from the scans?” Alyssa asked the Doctor. He had told her what had happened the past few days and what the TARDIS did to save her. Alyssa was really grateful to the ship for doing that.

“It shouldn’t be too long”

“Good. Could you help me to my room? I’d really like to have a shower. I must look like a zombie”

“No you don’t. You look lovely Ali”

“Liar”, Alyssa said standing up. The Doctor put his arm around her waist to support her as they headed to her room. “I won’t be long. Shall I meet you in the med bay?”

“Yes”, he replied leaving the room. Alyssa grabbed some clean clothes and entered the bathroom. She took her time having a shower, enjoying the hot water on her skin. After being in there a while, Alyssa got out and changed into her clean clothes. She then headed back to the med bay where she found the Doctor staring at the results on a screen.

“So what’s the verdict?” she asked making the Doctor jump as he hadn’t noticed she was there.

“Oh um you’re fine”, the Doctor replied. Alyssa raised a brow at his lie.

“You’re lying. You found something on the scans”

“I did”

“And?”

“You better sit down”, the Doctor said and Alyssa did so. “The scans show that there is still some Time Vortex inside of you” Alyssa’s eyes widened at that.

“Is that bad?”

“Normally it would be but your body seems to be able to cope with it”

“That’s good. It is good right?”

“Very”

“Well I suppose we better tell Martha and Jack the good news”, Alyssa said hopping off the bed. She left the med bay to head to the console room. The Doctor didn’t follow her straight away, he looked over the results one last time. He had a feeling that the TARDIS had done more than just saving her. It was safe to say that Martha and Jack were happy that Alyssa had a clean bill of health.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Roald Dahl Plass~

“Time was, every single one of these people knew your name. Now they've all forgotten you”, Martha said as she, Jack, the Doctor and Alyssa watched people walking around minding their own business.

“Good”, the Doctor said. He was happy that no one save Alyssa, Martha, Jack and a handful of other humans knew who he was.

“Back to work”

“I really don't mind, though. Come with me”

“I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility”

“Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that” the Doctor made to shake his hand but exposed his vortex manipulator.

“Hey, I need that!”

“I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport”, the Doctor said using his sonic on the device “You could go anywhere, twice. The second time to apologise”

“And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?”

“Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Jack”

Jack laughs at that “Been called that before” he starts to leave but turns back and salutes “Sir. Ma'am. Firefly” Jack turned to leave again and stops “But I keep wondering. What about aging? Because I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?”

“I really don't know”

“Okay, vanity”, Jack said chuckling “Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me” Martha and the Doctor looked stunned at that. Alyssa just smiled as she’d know he was the Face of Boe since meeting him on New New Earth “Hmm. I'll see you”

The trio watched the former Time Agent walk away. “It can't be”, Martha said staring after the man.

“No. Definitely not. No”

“Actually it definitely is. Jack is the Face of Boe”, Alyssa confirmed with a smile on her face.

“You’ve known for some time haven’t you?” the Doctor asked.

“Maybe”, Alyssa said still smiling and headed off back to the TARDIS.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later…

“Right then, off we go. The open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or back in time. We could…I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know. What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie. I bet she's brilliant”, the Doctor rambled which made Alyssa smile. She’d definitely missed that.

“Doctor, Ali I’m sorry but I can't. I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them”

“I understand Martha. I’d do the same if it was my mother”, Alyssa said hugging the woman. Martha then embraced the Doctor.

“Before I forget Ali has given me your number so if your phone rings and it’s me, you better come running”

“Don’t worry Martha. I’ll make sure he does”

The Doctor and Alyssa watched Martha walk out of the TARDIS. Without saying a word Alyssa hugged the Doctor. The Time Lord closed his eyes and relaxed in the warmth of her embrace.  “Please don’t go Ali”, he whispered feeling tears built up behind his eye lids. Now that the Master was gone, he was the only one of his kind left. The last Time Lord and he didn’t want to be alone.

“I’m not going anywhere”


	52. Time Crash

Alyssa wasn’t sure how long they stood there in each other’s arms but eventually they moved away. “What do you want to do now?” the Doctor asked putting an arm around her waist.

“I don’t know about you but I could really do with a cup of tea and a banana pancake”

“Sounds good to me”, the Doctor agreed “Why don’t you put the kettle on and I’ll be there in a moment. I’m just gonna put the TARDIS in the vortex”

“Ok”, Alyssa said kissing his cheek before going out of the console room. She went into the kitchen and put the kettle on. It had not long started boiling when the room shook, knocking her off her feet.  **_Sorry sweetie we’ve collided with an early version of me_** Sexy said apologetically.

 ** _Sorry about that. It was completely unintentional._** Came another voice. It didn’t sound at all like the TARDIS.

“Sexy? Who is that?” Alyssa asked getting to her feet.

**_That’s early me_ **

**_ Hello!  _ **

“Um hi”, the red haired woman said and winced, clutching her head.

**_Sorry about that Ali. That’s due to both of us in your head._ **

“Great so how long will I have you and…” Alyssa thought for a second “gorgeous in my head”

**_ Gorgeous?  _ **

“Well I couldn’t call you Sexy as well. Even though you are both the TARDIS”, Alyssa explained. It was strange how easy she was getting used to having two in her mind despite it making her a little light headed.

  ** _Fair enough_**

“I probably should go see if I can help”

**_Actually you can’t Ali._ **

“Why not?”

**_Because the 5 th incarnation never meets you_ **

“5th  incarnation. That’s the one with the celery on his jacket right?” Alyssa asked.

**_ That’s right  _ **

“Aw man I would’ve loved to have met him. Though I probably would have a hard time keeping a straight face”, she said smiling as she got an image of the Doctor wearing the 5th regeneration jacket.

**_Don’t worry Ali you’ve only got…_ **

**_ 3 more minutes to wait. _ **

Alyssa sat down at the kitchen table and chattered away to both versions of the TARDIS. Suddenly everything went white. “Sexy what happened?” she asked as she could no longer feel the pressure of two TARDISes in her mind.

**_Supernova and black hole at the exact same instant_ **

“And that means?”

**_Both TARDISes have separated._ **

“That’s why I can’t feel Gorgeous in my mind”

**_Exactly._ **

“I suppose its best this way”, Alyssa said as she never liked saying goodbye. She was surprised when she heard the second TARDIS in her head.

**_ Goodbye Ali _ **

“It’s not goodbye Gorgeous. It just seems too final. I prefer see you later, it holds promise that you’ll see the person again”, Alyssa explained “and I will see you again in…”

**_ Don’t tell me Ali. I’ll just have to wait and see when we first meet. So I’ll see you later _ **

“See you later”, Alyssa said “hey um Sexy I just want to say thank you for using your heart to save me”

**_You’re welcome sweetie. How are you feeling?_ **

“I feel ok. The Doctor said that there was some Time Vortex still inside me. How come?” Alyssa asked standing up to go re-boil the kettle.

**_It’s just some left over from when I healed you that’s all._ **

Alyssa frowned getting the feeling there was another reason but didn’t push it. She wouldn’t be able to force the TARDIS to tell her anyway. She glanced at the doorway as she sensed the Doctor approaching. “Hey spaceman. Did you enjoy talking to your fifth self?” she asked pouring water into two mugs.

“How did you… psychic”

“Well I am but Sexy explained what was going on. I had a nice chat with her and Gorgeous”

“Gorgeous?”

“My name for the early version of the TARDIS. I thought it was appropriate as she’s both Sexy and Gorgeous”, Alyssa replied grabbing the milk from the fridge.

**_Thank you Ali_ **

“She’s not the only one”, the Doctor commented watching her add milk into the mugs.

“Oh? And who do you know that is both sexy and gorgeous?” Alyssa asked putting the milk down and turning to face him.

“Hm let me think” the Doctor approached her “She has red hair” he pushed some of her loose hair behind her ear “green eyes and I’m completely in love with her” with that he gave her a soft kiss.

“I love you too”, Alyssa said smiling up at him “so how about making those pancakes then?” In between drinking tea, the pair made banana pancakes. They took them to the library in order to watch a film while they ate.

Alyssa and the Doctor spent the rest of the day relaxing in front of the TV. Part way through the 6th movie, the red haired woman dozed off, resting her head on the Doctor’s shoulder. He gently picked her up and carried her to her room. “Goodnight Ali”, the Doctor said after laying her down on the bed and putting a blanket over her. He then settled down into a chair by the desk. The results all indicated that Alyssa was fine but the Doctor didn’t want to leave the room in case she had some kind of relapse.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning when Alyssa woke up she found that she was lying on top of her duvet still in yesterday’s clothes. She sat up and smiled softly when she saw the Doctor asleep in her desk chair. Alyssa slipped out of bed and was getting some clothes out of the wardrobe when the Time Lord woke. “Had a nice rest?” she asked.

“Yep”, he replied standing up and stretching “how are you feeling?”

“I feel ok. Will be much better after I freshen up”, Alyssa answered before going into the bathroom with her clothes. When she’d had her shower, she made her way to the kitchen where the Doctor was making breakfast. “So what are we going to do today?” Alyssa asked as she dug into the food.

“I was thinking we could do something relaxing”, the Doctor replied. As much as he’d like to jump back into adventures, he would rather make absolutely sure Alyssa was better. Even then he’d still be pretty cautious about where they go.

“Like what?”

“Reading. Or watching TV”

“We watched TV all day yesterday”, Alyssa pointed out “I want to do something fun. Let’s go on an adventure”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea”

“I know you’re worried about me. I can sense it. But you don’t have to”

“I can’t help worry about you Ali. A few days ago you were dying and there was nothing I could do. If I’d lost you…I don’t know what I would’ve done” the Doctor took her hand “I love you Ali, so much”

“I love you too. And as much as this magnificent ship has tons of things to do and it would be impossible to get bored… I think I’ll go crazy if I’m stuck in here for ages without being allowed out”

“I know Ali. Tell you what let’s just spend one more day in here and tomorrow we’ll go on an adventure”

“Really?”

“Really”


	53. Voyage of the Damned part 1

The Doctor kept his promise. “So where do you want to go?” he asked as he dashed around the console in his usual manner.

“Surprise me”

The Doctor grinned before pulling lever. He and Alyssa hung on as the ship shook in its usual manner. Suddenly a fog horn blares through the large room. The Doctor and Alyssa look at each other confused before something crashes through the side of the TARDIS. Both the Doctor and Alyssa were thrown to the floor by the force of it, debris showering down on them. The Time Lord quickly got up, coughing from the dust and went over to Alyssa. “Are you ok?” he asked the woman, looking her over for injuries.

“Yeah I’m….” Alyssa trailed off and stared at the large ship’s bow protruding “fine” she glanced at the Doctor but he looked as surprised as she was. He helped her to her feet and turns to the console to start repairing the damage done by the ship’s bow currently sticking through the wall. Alyssa picked up a life preserver that had been lying on the floor and her eyes widened at the name written on it. “You’ve got to be kidding me”

“What is it?” the Doctor asked. In response Alyssa showed him the life preserver with the words _HMS TITANIC_ on it. Again he was just as surprised as she was. He continued to seal up the damage in the TARDIS while Alyssa watched.

“You ok now Sexy?” she asked.

**_I’m fine. Thank you sweetie._ **

“I don’t understand Doctor. How could we have collided with the Titanic? We were in space” Alyssa asked as they stepped out into a store cupboard.

“I don’t know. Let’s find out”, the Doctor replied and opened the cupboard door. The room they walked out in, was wood panelled and decorated with Christmas ornaments. The Doctor and Alyssa head to a window, passing by several people in early 20th century garments.

“Oh that’s how”, Alyssa said looking out the window to see her home planet below.

**Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas.**

“You wanted to be surprised”

“I am. Very surprised. Can we stay?”

“Yes”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor fiddled with the cuff of his shirt while he waited for Alyssa. “Sorry I took so long”

“That’s ok Ali” the Doctor turned around “I know…” he broke off when he saw what she was wearing. It was a knee length light grey dress embroidered with sliver snowflakes. “You look beautiful”

“Thanks. And you look rather dashing”

“Dashing? Really?”

“Yep”, Alyssa replied “but don’t let it go to your head mister”, she added.

“I won’t” the Doctor promised.

“Good because if you did, I’ll highjack Sexy and leave you on Earth for a week”, she said.

“Then I won’t let it go to my head. I wouldn’t want the two of you plotting against me” the Doctor held out his hand and Alyssa took it. They walked out of the TARDIS hand in hand. 

“Merry Christmas, sir, mam”, a steward said as the pair passed.

“Merry Christmas”, the Doctor said. A dark haired man dressed in a tux walked past them talking on a futuristic looking mobile.

“It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my vone. Now do as I say and sell” Alyssa shook her head at the man, picking up vibes from him which told her he worked all day, every day.

“Evening. Passenger 57 and 58”, the Doctor said after he and Alyssa approached a robotic angel. “Terrible memory. Remind me. You would be?”

“Information: Heavenly Host supplying tourist information”

“Good, so, um… tell me, because I'm an idiot…”

“You said it dear”, Alyssa interrupted with a smile.

“Where are we from?” the Doctor asked ignoring her comment.

“Information: The Titanic is ‘en route’ from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures.

“Who thought of the name, the Titanic?” Alyssa asked.

“Information: It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth”, the robot replied.

“Did they tell you why it was famous?” the Doctor questioned.

“Information: All designations are chosen by Mister Max Capricorn, president of Max- Max- Max….” the Host twitches its head as it keeps repeating the name becoming higher in pitch.

“Ooo, bit of a glitch”, the Doctor said getting out his sonic but before he could use it, three stewards came over.

“It's all right, sir, mam we can handle this”, the Chief Steward assured them as he switched off the Host. “Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, sir, mam, Merry Christmas” Alyssa frowned as he and the other two Stewards carried the Host away getting the sense he wasn’t being completely honest. She didn’t have time to dwell on it when the Doctor asked holding out his arm

“Would you care for a dance?”

“Yes Doctor I would”, Alyssa replied slipping her hand through his arm. They walked to the area of the room where other couples were dancing and started dancing themselves.

“This is fun. Maybe this tux isn’t bad luck after all”

“Careful Doctor it’s only early. You don’t want to jinx it”, Alyssa warned.

“No I guess I don’t” They continued to dance in silence exchanging smiles. When the song was over, the pair wandered over to the large windows and looked out at the stars.

“I don’t think I can ever get used to this”, Alyssa commented.

“I’m 903 years old and I’ve not gotten used to this”

Alyssa looked at him surprised “you’re 903? Wow, that’s one hell of an age gap between us. I must be like a child in your eyes”

“That’s not how I see you. When I look at you I see a beautiful, strong, kind woman. Not a child” the Doctor said.

“Really?”

“Really. That’s how I see you Ali” Alyssa kissed his cheek.

“I love you Doctor”

“Love you too”

The pair’s attention was caught by an argument nearby. The smartly dressed man, the Doctor and Alyssa had seen earlier had bumped into a blonde haired waitress causing her to drop the tray of drinks she was carrying. “Tov's sake, look where you're going! This jacket's a genuine Earth antique”

“I’m sorry sir”, the blonde waitress said apologetically.

“You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart”, the man said as the waitress knelt down to pick up the glasses.

“I don’t like that guy”, Alyssa said and the Doctor nodded in agreement. When the smartly dressed man stormed off, they approached the waitress.

“Careful. There we go”, the Doctor said carefully picking up broken pieces of glass.

“Thank you, sir. I can manage”

“I never said you couldn't. I'm the Doctor, by the way and this is Alyssa”

“Hello”, Alyssa said politely as she helped to pick up the glass as well.

“Astrid, sir, mam. Astrid Peth”, the waitress said introducing herself.

“Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth”

“Merry Christmas”, Alyssa added.

“Merry Christmas, sir, mam”

“Just Doctor, not sir”, the Doctor said.

“You two enjoying the cruise?” Astrid asked standing up. The Doctor and Alyssa did the same.

“So far I’m enjoying it”, the red head replied “how about you dear?”

“Yeah I suppose”, the Doctor answered “What about you Astrid? Long way from home, Planet Sto”

“Doesn't feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here and… I'm still waiting on tables”, Astrid answered and walked away.

“No shore leave?” the Doctor asked following Astrid with Alyssa.

“We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once” Astrid cleared a table by the window “Never stood on another world” she walked towards the window and looked out “I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars and I always dreamt of… it sounds daft”.

“You dreamt of another sky. New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life”, the Doctor said understanding how she felt “Why stand still when there're all that life out there?”

“So, you two travel a lot?”

“All the time. Just for fun. Well, that's the plan”

“Though it never quite works”, Alyssa added.

“Must be rich, though”

“Haven't got a penny. Stowaway”, the Doctor said whispering the stowaway part.

“You’re kidding”

“Seriously”

“No!”

“Oh, yeah”

“I’m afraid he’s serious Astrid”

“How did you two get on board?” Astrid asked.

“Accident. Bumped into the Titanic. Here I am. Bit of a party”

“And he promised me somewhere fun so we decided to stay”

“I should report the pair of you”

“Go on then”, the Doctor challenged.

“I'll get you both a drink on the house”, Astrid said and walked off.

“Now her. I like”

“Me too”, the Doctor agreed.


	54. Voyage of the Damned part 2

The Doctor and Alyssa headed back to the dance floor as _Wish It Could Be Christmas_ started to play. When it was over, they wandered around the room. “Hey why don’t we sit with them?” Alyssa suggested gesturing to a couple in purple cowboy outfits. A group very glamourous looking people were pointing at them and laughing. The Doctor didn’t need to ask for a reason why Alyssa suggested it, he could see why she wanted to.

“Sure” he said and they headed over to the table “Something's tickled them”, the Doctor commented as he and Alyssa sat down.

“They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure”, the dark skinned woman replied.

“They're just picking on us because we haven't paid. We won our tickets in a competition”, the man explained.

“I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch…”

“Is that the one with the twins?” the Doctor said interrupting the woman.

“That's it. Oh, it's marvellous”

“But we're not good enough for that lot”, the dark skinned man said mentioning to the laughing crowd “They think we should be in steerage”

“We can't have that, can we?” Alyssa said glaring at them. Her gaze shifted to the champagne bottle and focused. The cork flew out of the bottle spraying champagne all over guest’s clothes. Alyssa gave them a cheeky wave when they all gave her dirty looks.

“You did that?” the dark skinned man asked Alyssa.

“You betcha”

“We like you”

“We do”, the man agreed “I'm Morvin Van Hoff” he held out his hand to the Doctor who shakes it “This is my good woman, Foon”

“Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is my girl Alyssa”

“You can call me Ali if you like. Most people do”, Alyssa said shaking both Morvin and Foon’s hands. Alyssa wasn’t even trying to sense their emotions but she picked them up all the same. She didn’t mind it though as they were both very happy, cheerful people. It made her feel happy which to be honest after the ‘year that never was’, happy is just what she needed. Their happy emotions were enough to disguise the headache she received from using her gift.

“Ooh, I'm going to need a Doctor, time I've finished with that buffet. Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings”

**Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red Six Seven now activated. Red Six Seven.**

“Red Six Seven. That's us. Are you Red Six Seven?” Foon asked the Doctor and Alyssa.

“Might as well be”, the Doctor replied.

“Come on, then. We're going to Earth”

Morvin, Foon, the Doctor and Alyssa got up and followed other people out to the reception to where a man dressed in a tweed suit was holding up a sign with the writing Red 6-7 on it. “I got you two that drink”, Astrid said approaching the time travellers carrying a tray with two glasses on it.

“And I got you a treat. Come on”, the Doctor said taking the tray from Astrid and setting it down on the table.

“Red Six Seven departing shortly”, tweed suit man said again. The Doctor shows him the psychic paper.

“Red Six Seven plus two”

“Quickly, sir, please, and take three teleport bracelets if you would” the Doctor picked up three bracelets and gave one to Alyssa who put it on.

“I'll get the sack”, Astrid whispered.

“Brand new sky”, the Doctor said giving her a bracelet.

“To repeat, I am Mister Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London town in the country of UK, ruled over by good King Wenceslas. Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary. And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner… like savages”

Alyssa tried not to laugh at his explanation as it was completely wrong, for most part. “Excuse me. Sorry, sorry, but, um… where did you get all this from?” the Doctor asked. Even he was a little confused by Mr Copper’s information and he was a frequent visitor to the planet below.

“Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now, stand by….”

“And me! And me!” a high pitched voice called. Alyssa’s eyes widened when she saw a little red skinned alien with spikes on his head rush towards them. “Red Six Seven”

“Well, take a bracelet, please, sir”

“Uh, but, um, hold on, hold on. What was your name?”

“Bannakaffalatta”

“Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offence, but you'll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and…” he didn’t get to finish his sentence as the entire group vanished from the ship and onto an empty London street.

Alyssa looked around. It was weird to see it so empty. No people rushing about for last minute shopping. “This place should be full of people. Where is everyone?”

“I don’t know”, the Doctor replied.

“This is beautiful”, Astrid said looking around in awe.

“Really? Do you think so? It's just a street. The pyramids are beautiful, and New Zealand…”

“But it's a different planet. I'm standing on a different planet”, Astrid interrupted sounding excited “Th-there's concrete… and shops. Alien shops. Real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky. And it smells. It stinks! Oh, this is amazing. Thank you!” she hugged the Doctor.

“Well instead of just standing around talking, let’s go have a look”, Alyssa suggested. She went over to a newsagent’s booth where an older man was bundled up in winter clothes. The Doctor and Astrid followed her.

“Excuse me sir, I’m sorry if this is stupid question but where has everyone gone?” Alyssa asked.

“Oh ho, scared!”

“Right, yes. Scared of what?” the Doctor questioned. The old man looked at him surprised.

“Where've you been living? London at Christmas? Not safe, is it?”

“Why?”

“Well, it's them, up above” the men points up at the night sky “Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof. And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames”

 _Who could forget that?_ Alyssa thought thinking about that particular adventure where she and the Doctor met Donna, the run-away bride. She wondered what Donna was doing at the moment. _I wonder if she’s decided to go travelling like she mentioned._

“This place is amazing”, Astrid commented.

“And this year, Lord knows what. So, everybody's scarpered. Gone to the country. All except me and…Her Majesty” the man stood proudly and looks at the TV.

_Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear._

“God bless her!” the man salutes “We stand vigil”

“Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty's got it right. Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about”, the Doctor said and then he, Alyssa and Astrid suddenly vanished in front of the older man’s eyes.

“Then again”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor and Alyssa stood in front of the framed screen that was currently playing a video loop of Max Capricorn. They were a little suspicious of the ‘power fluctuation’ and the Chief Steward’s assurances that everything was fine. Despite the man’s calm exterior, Alyssa could clearly sense that he was worried. That’s how the pair ended up in front of the framed screen. The Doctor opened the frame and changed some settings until the screen showed the Titanic and her immediate surroundings. He frowned when he saw the shields were offline. “I’m guessing they’re not supposed to be off”

“No they’re not”, the Doctor replied looking up at her. He then noticed something out of the nearby porthole.

“What?” Alyssa asked.

“There’s meteors headed for us”, he replied. Alyssa followed his gaze and sure enough a number of meteors could be seen approaching the ship.

“We’ve got to warn the Captain”

The Doctor nodded in agreement and went back to the frame. Alyssa watched as he tried to convince the Captain through comms of the danger approaching the Titanic but it seemed that the man wasn’t fully listening to him. “Come with me sir, mam”, the Chief Steward said as he approached with two other Stewards.

“You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down!” the Doctor told the Chief Steward as he and Alyssa where being escorted out of reception, a steward holding onto one of their arms to stop them running.

“He’s telling you the truth! Just look out the window”, Alyssa put in but the Stewards weren’t listening. “Ok fine”, she said but before she could use her powers, the Doctor broke free from the Steward’s hold and dashed to the stage.

“Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb…” a Host covers his mouth cutting off his shouting and dragged him off the stage. He and Alyssa were taken through the maintenance corridor, still arguing to the Chief Steward who still wasn’t listening to them. By this time Astrid, Morvin, Foon, Bannakaffalatta and Mr Copper had joined them.

The smartly dressed man who Alyssa didn’t like came running up behind their group shouting. “Oi! Steward! I'm telling you, the shields are down!”

“Listen to him. Listen to him!” All the while they were arguing the meteors continued to speed towards the ship.


	55. Voyage of the Damned part 3

The meteors slam into the ship causing massive destruction and chaos. Down in the maintenance corridor, everyone was getting thrown about as the room shook and explosions went off.  The Doctor grabbed Alyssa and held her to him to try and protect her as much as he could. Another explosion went off throwing everyone to the floor.

Then everything stopped. “Are you ok?” the Doctor asked Alyssa looking her over for injuries.

“Yeah, I think so”, she replied. After he helped her to her feet, he helped Astrid stand too. Alyssa checked the Steward that hadn’t moved. She closed her eyes when she couldn’t find a pulse.

“Ev…everyone… Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta, I must apologise on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision”, the Chief Steward said apologetically.

“Small”, Morvin said indignantly.

“Do you know how much I paid for my ticket?” the man Alyssa didn’t like complained.

“No and we don’t really care”, Alyssa snapped at him.

“If I could have silence, ladies, and gentlemen…” everyone ignored him and continued arguing, with the exception of Alyssa and the Doctor. “Quiet!” he shouted and they fell silent “Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first I would point out that we're very much alive”

Alyssa rounded on the man “That’s no cause for a celebration. We may be alive but hundreds of people are dead because you didn’t listen to us. We tried to tell you, tried to warn you but you wouldn’t listen!” she vented. The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. He was just as angry as she was.

“You have my sincerest apologies mam”

“Apology not accepted” Alyssa turned back to the group and saw Astrid dabbing a cut on Mr Copper’s head. “You ok?”

“It’s just a scratch mam”

“You don’t have to call me mam. My name’s Alyssa but you can call me Ali if you like”

“If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the….the situation”, the Chief Steward said before going over to a hatch.

“Don't open it!” the Doctor shouted but it was too late. The Steward opened the hatch and was promptly sucked out. To avoid the same fate, everyone grabbed hold of the nearest fixed object. The Doctor struggled over to the comms and uses the sonic screwdriver on it to replace the shield.

“Oxygen shield stabilised” a computerised voice said.

“Everyone all right? Ali?”

“I’m fine”, she replied “Astrid?”

“Yeah”

The Doctor asked the others if they were ok and they all replied ‘yes’. “You, what was your name?” the Doctor asked the smartly dressed man whom neither he nor Alyssa liked.

“Ah, Rickston Slade”, he replied.

“You all right?”

“No thanks to that idiot”

“The steward just died”, Alyssa pointed out.

“Then he's a dead idiot”

Astrid gasped at how blunt he was being and stepped forward. “Astrid don’t”, Alyssa said knowing she was probably going to give Rickston a piece of her mind. The Doctor went over to the hatch opening, Alyssa and Astrid following him.

“What happened? How come the shields were down?”

“I don't think it was an accident”, the Doctor replied.

“How many dead?” Astrid asked staring at the bodies floating out in space amongst the debris.

“We're alive. Just focus on that. I will get you out of here, Astrid, I promise”, the Doctor said turning her to face him but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the bodies. Alyssa moved in front to block her view.

“Astrid when he makes a promise, he doesn’t break it. Trust me, I know”, she told the woman. “So what’s first Doctor?”

“Making our way to reception”

“Where the TARDIS is”

“Exactly”

“What’s a TARDIS?” Astrid asked.

“It’s his spaceship”

“Yeah about that, I think we’re going to have a small problem”, the Doctor said noticing the blue box floating away over Alyssa’s shoulder.

“What?”

“It’s no longer in reception”

Alyssa spun around and stared in dismay at it.

“I can’t see a spaceship out there”, Astrid said moving to stand beside Alyssa.

“It’s that blue box”, the red head said pointing.

“That’s a spaceship?” Astrid asked in disbelief.

“Oi, don't knock it”, the Doctor said placing a hand on Alyssa’s shoulder. He knew how she felt about the box. He had a bond with the TARDIS being her Pilot but Alyssa also had a special bond with her too. 

“It's a bit small”, the waitress commented.

“A bit distant. Trouble is, once its set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity, and that would be… the Earth” sure enough the TARDIS started to head down toward the Earth.

“Ok, we have no TARDIS so we’re stuck here for the moment. What’s the plan now?”

“For starters we need to assess the situation”, the Doctor replied and then went over to the comms. He spoke with a young man called Frame. The Midshipman told him that it was the captain who took down the shields hence why the meteors hit the Titanic. Midshipman Frame also told them worriedly that the engines were cycling down.

“That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?” the Doctor asked.

“Yeah”

“The moment they're gone we lose orbit”, the Doctor said and Alyssa looked at him worried.

“Doctor what happens if we hit the planet?” she asked him.

“If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth”, the Doctor replied seriously “but I’m not going to let that happen Ali, I promise” he turned back to the comms “Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core”, he instructed.

“This is never going to work”

“Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until I can get to the bridge” the Doctor turned off the comm and faced the group.

“We're going to die!” Foon exclaimed.

“Are you saying someone's done this on purpose?” Mr Copper asked equally worried.

“We're just a cruise ship”

“Okay, okay. Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush. First things first. One: We are going to climb through this ship. B…”

“Two”, Alyssa corrected.

“Yes, Two: We're going to reach the bridge. Three. Or C. We're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low four, or D, or that little ‘iv’ in brackets they use in footnotes…why. Right then, follow me”, the Doctor took Alyssa’s hand and started to walk away when they were stopped by Rickston demanding

“Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?”

The Doctor let go of Alyssa’s hand and walked back to the others “I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm nine hundred and three years old and I'm the man who's going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?”

“No”, Rickston replied a little surprised by the Doctor’s answer. In fact all of them were surprised that he was an alien, with the exception of Alyssa who already knew.

“In that case, allons-y!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor slowly pushed open a metal door and stepped out onto a staircase littered with debris and sparking cables. “Careful. Follow me”, he said heading up the stairs, clearing the way. Alyssa followed behind with Astrid, Mr Copper, Rickston and the Van Hoff’s. “Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric”, Mr Copper said he climbed up the stairs.

“Actually, that's not true. Christmas is a time of, of peace and thanksgiving and… what am I on about? My Christmases are always like this”

“Not any more. Next year we’re going to have a nice, safe Christmas. And if I have to hijack Sexy to pull it off then I will”, Alyssa said firmly.

“I don’t think you’ll need to do that. She’ll be more than willing to help you. You seem to be her favourite”

“That’s because I don’t abuse her by hitting her with a mallet”

“She wasn’t doing what I wanted her to”

“That’s because she was in a mood with you after decided it would be fun to ride the shockwave of a plasma storm. It took me two hours to calm her down”

The Doctor opened his mouth to say something when Rickston spoke up “that conversation sounds _fascinating_ but do you think we could get a move on?”

“He’s got a point”, Astrid agreed although she was a little interested in what they were saying. It seemed that it their lives were rather interesting.

“Right”, the Doctor said and turned back to the rubble. He pulled back a metal plate to reveal a Host. “We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble”

“We can do robotics. Both of us”, Morvin spoke up.

“We work on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff”, Foon added.

“See if you can get it working. Let's have a look”, the Doctor said the latter to Alyssa and Astrid. He took the rest up the stairs.

“It's blocked”

“So what do we do?”

“We shift it Astrid”, Alyssa replied with a smile “something I can do easily”

“Are you sure?” the Doctor asked her. He wasn’t going to ask her to use her powers because he was a still little concerned over her wellbeing even though she seemed fine.

“Yes. I can do this Doctor”, Alyssa replied with confidence “Bannakaffalatta there’s a gap in the middle. See if you can get through”

“Easy. Good”, Bannakaffalatta answered and squeezed through the opening. The ship lurches sending debris falling down on them.

“This whole thing could come crashing down any minute!” Rickston stated

“Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?”

“No. What message?”

“Shut up!” the Doctor replied.

“Thanks dear. If you hadn’t said something I would’ve”

“Bannakaffalatta made it”, the red skinned alien called.

“You be careful”, the Doctor said as Alyssa prepared to squeeze through.

“I will. I can do this Doctor”, she assured him. Alyssa then started to climb through the rubble taking care not to move it around too much and cause a collapse. It didn’t take her long to get through to the other side. “I’m through!” she called down.


	56. Voyage of the Damned part 4

“I’m coming through!” Astrid called to Alyssa.

“Ok!” she called back. She turned to Bannakaffalatta only to find him on the floor. “What's wrong?” Alyssa asked him concerned. The alien just shushed her.

“What is it?”

“Can't say”

“Why not?”  Alyssa asked kneeling beside him. For some reason she couldn’t sense his emotions even when she tried to.

“Ashamed”

“Of what?”

“Poor Bannakaffalatta” the alien pulled up his shirt to reveal cybernetic components.

“You're a cyborg”, Astrid said behind her making Alyssa jump. She hadn’t even realised she’d made it through the rubble.

“Had accident long ago. Secret”, he told them both.

“No, but everything's changed now. Cyborgs are getting equal rights”, Astrid assured him “They passed a law back on Sto. You can even get married”

“Marry you?” Bannakaffalatta asked Alyssa.

“I’m taken sorry”, she replied.

“Marry you?” the alien asked Astrid.

“Well, you can buy me a drink first. Come on. Let's recharge you” she presses a button on his torso “Just stay there for a bit”

“Tell no one”

“I promise”, Astrid vowed.

“Me too”, Alyssa said before turning to the rubble. She held up her hands and focused on shifting the stuff blocking the stairs. Metal creaked as it was moved to make the opening wider. Astrid helped out by pulling some of the smaller pieces out of the way.

On the other end of the rubble the Doctor could see it being moved. Not wanting Alyssa to use her powers for too long, he called down to Morvin and Foon. “Ali’s made the gap wider! Come on up!”

“I’m not waiting for Mr and Mrs Fatso”, Rickston said pushing past him and Mr Copper to climb through the gap in the rubble.

“Rickston’s through!” Alyssa called as Morvin and Foon joined the Doctor and Mr Copper. The Doctor and Mr Copper used piping to hold up their end while Morvin and Foon got through the gap. Mr Copper quickly followed them and then came the Doctor. As soon as he was through, Alyssa let go and sank to her knees.

“Ali”, the Doctor said worriedly seeing that using her powers had taken a lot out of her. He should’ve insisted on her not using them at all.

“I’m fine. Just need a minute”, she told him tiredly. The Doctor sat on the floor with Alyssa leaning against him with her eyes closed. As they weren’t in any immediate danger, he allowed her to rest.

“Saved you some. You might be a Time King from Gaddabee but you and Ali need to eat”, Astrid said approaching the pair with a plate of food.

“Yeah, thanks”, the Doctor said taking the plate. He set it down and gently shook Alyssa.

“Hm?”

“Astrid’s brought us some food”

“Not hungry”

“Ali you need to eat something”

“I will later, I promise”, Alyssa said closing her eyes again. The Doctor knew it was best not to push her, all he could do would be to make sure that she ate later like she promised.

“So, you look good for nine hundred and three”, Astrid said changing the subject.

“You should see me in the mornings”, the Doctor said.

“Actually you wouldn’t. He looks a mess in the mornings”, Alyssa mumbled.

“Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day”, Mr Copper said joining the trio.

“So it is. Merry Christmas”, the Doctor said.

“This Christmas thing, what's it all about?”

“Long story. I should know, I was there. I got the last room”

“Of course you were”, Alyssa muttered opening her eyes.

“But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them? They could send up a rocket or something”

“We don't have spaceships”, Alyssa said.

“But, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles”, Mr Copper said confused as to why she said we.

“It’s Space Shuttles. Not Shuffles”, the red haired woman corrected him.

“Are you sure?”

“Considering I actually live on Earth, yes I am absolutely sure”

“Mister Copper, this degree in Earthonomics…where's it from?” the Doctor asked.

“Honestly?”

“Just between us”

“Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners”

“You…you lied to the company… to get the job?” Astrid said shocked that he did that.

“I…I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic”

“Hmm. I suppose it is, yeah”, the Doctor agreed.

“How come you know it so well?”

“I was sort of…a few years ago, I was sort of made…well, sort of homeless, and, um, there was the Earth”

Alyssa knew it was difficult for him to talk about what happened to his people. She took his hand “I’m glad you made the Earth your new home. Meeting you was the best thing that has ever happened to me”, she said sincerely with a smile. The Doctor smiled back. He was glad to have met her too.

“The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations. Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years”

Before anyone could say anything there was a banging on a door. “A Host! Move! Come on!” the Doctor shouted jumping up and grabbing Alyssa’s hand, pulling up to her feet. They all hurry to the opposite side where the Doctor uses his sonic on the door.  With the Time Lord in the lead, the group head through the bulkhead onto a catwalk. In front was a large open space with a fallen strut running the length of it, creating a makeshift bridge. On the far side they could see a door. Alyssa’s heart dropped when she realised that the only way to get to the other side was via the strut.

“Is that the only way across?” Rickston asked looking at the makeshift bridge.

“On the other hand, it is a way across”, the Doctor said trying to make light of the situation.

“The engines are open”, Astrid pointed out.

“Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls”

“But that thing, it'll never take our weight”, Morvin said gesturing to the strut.

“You're going last, mate”, Rickston said in his usual uncaring manner.

“It's nitrofin metal. It's stronger than it looks”, the Doctor assured him.

“All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should…” Morvin steps on a weak piece of metal near the edge, the railing gives way and he falls.

“Morvin!” Foon shouted. Alyssa held out her hands and concentrated hard. Everyone watched as the man abruptly stopped falling and started to rise.

“how is she….?” Rickston began when the Doctor shushed him. He knew that Alyssa needed to focus. Her head was pounding but she continued lifting Morvin. She couldn’t afford to waver, if she did, he would die.

“You did it Ali!” Foon said happily when her husband came up above the strut.

“Not quite”, she said “Sorry in advance Morvin!” Alyssa called before launching him as far as she could. He landed heavily on the other side.

“I’m ok!” he shouted happily.

“Thank you Ali! Thank you”, Foon said hugging the woman.

“You’re welcome”, Alyssa said patting her on the back.

“You’re brilliant you know that?” the Doctor said proudly when Foon released her.

“Oh I know I am”, she said “ok, Foon you ready?”

“Not really”, the woman said honestly “but I trust you”

“Ok, here we go”, Alyssa said before using her powers to lift the woman into the air. She took a breath and launched the woman. Foon screamed as she flew through the air but like her husband she landed safely on other side.

“I’m ok!” Foon called.

“Well now that they’re across, I guess we can go across now?” Rickston asked.

“Go ahead”, the Doctor replied “carefully”, he added. There’s a rumbling as the ship rocks and Rickston is nearly knocked off the strut.

“Oh, Vot help me”

“Just take one step at a time”, Alyssa told him trying to stay upright on her feet. It had taken quite a bit out of her using her powers to save Morvin and get him and Foon across the room.

“They're getting nearer”, Mr Copper said as they heard the Host chanting kill behind the door.

“Seal us in”, the Doctor muttered and used his sonic on the door.

“You're leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?”

“Never say trapped, just inconveniently circumstanced”

“Oh”, Mr Copper said.

“I’m ok!” Rickston called when he reached halfway along the strut.

“Then keep going!” Alyssa snapped swaying a little on the spot.

“Bannakaffalatta, you go next”, the Doctor said when Rickston reached the other side.

“Bannakaffalatta small”, Bannakaffalatta said before starting across.

“Slowly!”

The remaining group jumped when there was hammering at the door. “They've found us”, Mr Copper said looking worried.

“Astrid, get across right now”, the Doctor instructed as Alyssa went to the door.

“What about you and Ali?”

“Just do it. Go on” Astrid starts across “Mister Copper, we can't wait” when the man opened his mouth to argue, the Doctor said “Don't argue”. Mr Copper nodded and followed Astrid onto the strut. “Ali we need to go”

“Just a second”, Alyssa said putting her hand on the door.

“No, you’ve used it too much already”

“But…”

“No Ali”, the Doctor said firmly, pulling her away from the door and towards the strut. The metal starts creaking due to the weight of 5 of them.

“Too many people!” Bannakaffalatta shouted.

“Oi! Don't get spiky with me. Keep going”

“It's going to fall!” Astrid cried.

“Just keep going Astrid”, Alyssa said. Everything suddenly goes quiet as the pounding stopped.

“They've stopped”

“Gone away?” Bannakaffalatta asked sounding hopeful.

“Why would they give up?”

“Never mind that. Keep coming”, Rickston called.

“Where have they gone? Where are the Host?”

Mr Copper looked up “I'm afraid… we've forgotten the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings!” Alyssa glanced up with everyone else to see a group of Host gliding down from above. They encircle them.

“Information: Kill”, the Host said.

“I don’t think so”, Alyssa said.

“Ali don’t!” the Doctor warned but it was too late. The woman lashed out with her powers. As a result the Host were all knocked backwards, shorting out. All but one falls towards the engines. The remaining one lands on the strut behind the Doctor. He caught Alyssa when she fell backwards. She’d fainted.


	57. Voyage of the Damned part 5

“Ugh I hate these damn headaches”, Alyssa groaned sitting up.

“Oh thank god you’re awake”, Astrid said coming over.

“Astrid what happened?” Alyssa looked around and saw she was back in reception with everyone minus the Doctor “where’s the Doctor?”

“He went to Deck 31 apparently there’s something down there”

“What?”

“I don’t know. The Doctor doesn’t know either, that’s why he’s going”

“Then I’ve got to get down there too”, Alyssa said pushing herself to her feet. Astrid grabbed her arm when she stumbled.

“You’re in no condition to go anywhere Ali, you’ve only just regained consciousness”

“I’ll be fine Astrid. But how am I supposed to get there quickly?”

“Teleportation”, Astrid replied “but I’ve already tried to get Midshipman Frame to divert power so I could go but he wouldn’t do it”

“Let me try. I can be pretty persuasive” Astrid showed her the computer where she called the bridge before. She also gave the red head the teleport bracelet in case she was successful in getting Midshipman Frame in diverting the power “Midshipman Frame this is Alyssa I need you to divert power to the teleport system”

“No way”, the young man replied “I'm using everything I got to keep the engines running”. Alyssa glanced at Astrid who gave her a look saying that it was the same thing she was told.

“It’s only for one trip I need to get to deck 31”

“And I’ll tell you the same thing I told Astrid: no”

“Listen to me Midshipman. The man I love has gone down there to face god knows what on his own. He’s done everything he can to save all of us. I have to help him, please”

There was a pause before Midshipman Frame said “Giving you power”

“Good luck Ali”, Astrid said.

“Thanks”, Alyssa said and was teleported away. When she reappeared, she was in the doorway of Deck 31. Up ahead she could hear the Doctor talking. Quietly she crept forwards until she saw the Doctor facing what appeared to be a small four wheeled vehicle with a bald head encased in a glass box. Alyssa recognised him as Max Capricorn. She hid around the corner so she could listen in without being spotted.

“Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice. Just watch me. So… business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes! No. Yes. The business isn't failing, it's failed. Past tense”

 _Oh he’s clever_ Alyssa thought peeking around. “My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back”

“If you had a back”, Alyssa murmured at the same time as the Doctor said it.

“…So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value” Alyssa moved closer making sure to stay unseen. She wasn’t going to rush in and use her powers unless she absolutely had to. Besides she still had a hell of a headache from where she lashed out at those Host on the strut. “Oh, but that's not enough. No. Because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out”

“And… the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder”

“While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber”

“I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of… metal”

 _Ew_ Alyssa thought getting a rather unpleasant image in her head. She shook her head and tried to concentrate on the conversation going on in front of her. “So that's the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser”

Alyssa clenched her fist in anger. It made her sick to her stomach that this man, or what was left of him could so easily commit mass genocide for his own selfish gain. “I never lose”

“You can't even sink the Titanic”

“Oh, but I can, Doctor. I can cancel the engines from here” the moment Capricorn said those words alarm started to sound. Alyssa was about to intervene when a she got a strange feeling in her chest which took her off guard. She pushed it aside knowing that helping the Doctor was her top priority over a funny feeling which seemed to have gone as quickly as it came.

“You can't do this!” the Doctor shouted.

“Host, hold him”, Capricorn ordered and two Host grabbed the Time Lord by the arms.

“Not so clever now, Doctor. A shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh! Oh, Host! Kill him!”

“No!” Alyssa shouted running forward with her hand raised. She sent Capricorn flying backwards with a blast of psychic energy. He yelled as he went over the edge, falling towards the engines. Another one sent the Host about to kill the Doctor backwards too.  The robotic angels let him go allowing him to rush to Alyssa’s side as she’d fallen to her knees again.

“You shouldn’t have come Ali”

“Someone had to watch your back and save you if you needed it. Which you did”, Alyssa said getting to her feet “you’re welcome by the way” The Doctor steadied her when she stumbled.

**Titanic falling. Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated.**

“We’ve got to get to the bridge”

“How?” Alyssa asked as the place shook.

“With those”, the Doctor replied gesturing to the Host. Alyssa clung on tightly as two Host took the Doctor’s arms and flew upwards, crashing through the ceiling and into the bridge.

**Deadlock broken**

“Ah, Midshipman Frame. At last”, the Doctor said after making sure Alyssa was ok.

“Uh, but…but the Host!”

“Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's me” the Doctor explained approaching the wheel.

“There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ship's going to fall”, Midshipman Frame said.

**Titanic falling**

“What's your first name?” the Doctor asked taking the wheel.

“Alonso”

**Titanic falling**

“You're kidding me”

“What?”

“That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso! Whoa!” the ship lurches dramatically as the Doctor tries to steer. Alyssa and Midshipman Frame cling onto something on the bridge as the ship continues to fall towards Earth. Alarms sound as they enter the upper atmosphere, then the ship starts to burn on entry. Once into the cloud layer, the Doctor turns on a scanner with his foot to see that their impact area is in west Central London. He uses the comms to call Buckingham Palace and managed to get them to evacuate. Then the trio hears something that makes them overjoyed.

**Engines active. Engines active.**

The Doctor pulls back on the wheel sending Midshipman Frame and Alyssa into the wall. The Time Lord strained with the wheel and eventually regained control. The trio cheered as the ship levelled off, narrowly missing Buckingham Palace.

“Yes!” Alyssa shouted happily.

Midshipman Frame rang the bell happily “Whoo hoo!”

“Whoo hoo hoo!” the Doctor said joining in. “Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me”, he explained.

“You are brilliant”, Alyssa said proudly kissing him on the cheek.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~reception~

“The engines have stabilised. We're holding steady till we get help, and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story”, Midshipman Frame said as he updated the others.

“They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose”, Mr Copper surmised.

“I'd have thought so, yeah”, Midshipman Frame agreed. The older man wandered over to where the Doctor was standing watching with a smile on his face as Morvin and Foon hugged Alyssa, thanking her repeatedly.

“I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light. Still, it's my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying”, Mr Copper said to him. Rickston then approached the Time Lord.

“Doctor…I never said… thank you” he hugged the Doctor which surprised the alien very much “The funny thing is…I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I… sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?”

The Doctor’s look at that comment said ‘how could you still be thinking of money after what just happened?’ Rickston’s vone started to ring.

“Salvain. Those shares. I want them… he broke off and yelped as his vone suddenly jumped out of his hand.  The man watched in dismay as the vone was crushed in mid-air.

“Ooh sorry about that Rickston”, Alyssa called not sounding apologetic at all. Instead of having a go at her, Rickston stormed off in a huff.

“Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you would have chosen, is he? But if you could choose, Doctor, if you decide who lives and who dies, that would make you a monster”, Mr Copper said as Alyssa walked over along with Astrid.

“Mister Copper, I think you deserve one of these”, the Doctor said holding out a bracelet to him. Mr Copper took it and put it on. Astrid also put on the bracelet that Alyssa held out. The Doctor started the machine and they all disappeared.


	58. Taking the next step

The four of them walked towards the TARDIS, the Doctor and Alyssa holding hands. “So, Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany”, Mr Copper said trying to understand what Alyssa had been explaining to him as they walked.

“No, no, it's just…t's just France and Germany. Only Britain is Great”, the Doctor corrected him.

“Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham-Erica”

“It’s America and they’re not at war with them yet”

“There she is”, the Doctor pats the blue box with his free hand “Survive anything”

“You know, between you and me, I don't even thing this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere”, Mr Copper said.

“Yeah. One of these days it might snow for real”, the Doctor said looking up.

“So, I-I suppose you two will be off”

“Yep. There’s still so much to see out there”, Alyssa said “do you still want to come Astrid?”

“Actually I think I’m going to stay here with Mr Copper”, the waitress replied.

“Really?” Mr Copper asked surprised.

“Yep. Someone’s got to look after you”

“So what are we supposed to do?”

“Give me that credit card” the Doctor said and Mr Copper handed it over to him.

“It's just petty cash. Spending money. It's all done by computer. I…I didn't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it”

Alyssa gaped when he said that “A million pounds?” she said shocked at how much money he had, and didn’t even know it.

“That enough for trinkets?”

“Mister Copper, a million pounds is worth fifty million credits”

“How much?”

“Fifty million and fifty six”, the Doctor said after mentally calculating the amount.

“You mean we’ve got money?” Astrid said surprised at the amount.

“Yes, you have”, the Doctor said giving the card back.

“Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha!

“It's all yours. Planet Earth. Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though”

“I will, I will. Oh, I will”, Mr Copper promised.

“No interfering. I don't want any trouble. Just…just have a nice life”

“Don’t worry Doctor, Ali. I’ll make sure he doesn’t into trouble”, Astrid assured them.

“But we can have a house. A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and. Oh, Doctor, Ali, I will made you proud. And we can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates, and…” Mr Copper links his arm through Astrid’s and skips away.

“Um where are you guys going?” Alyssa called after them.

“Why, I've no idea!”

“No, me neither”, the Doctor agreed unlocking the TARDIS.

“I know where we’re going”

“Where?”

“Somewhere awesome”, Alyssa said with a smile before stepping into the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled and entered the blue box after her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later…

“Man that was really good Doctor”, Alyssa said putting down her knife and fork. He had surprised her with a small Christmas dinner to make up for the Titanic adventure.

“I’m glad you liked it. What do you want to do now?”

“How about a movie?” Alyssa suggested picking up her plate and taking it to the sink.

“Let me guess, Star Wars?”

“How did you know?” Alyssa asked pretending to be surprised that he guessed correctly.

“I’m psychic Ali”, the Doctor replied putting his own plate in the sink.

“Oh really? Can you guess what number I’m thinking of?” Alyssa asked putting her arms around his neck.

“42?”

“Nope. 10”, Alyssa replied with a smile before softly kissing him on the lips. She pulled away, only to have the Doctor reach out and pull her back in order to kiss her some more. It was far different from any of their previous kisses, there was more passion behind it. At one point during the make out, without even breaking the kiss, the Doctor had picked up Alyssa and set her down on one of the kitchen counters. Eventually they broke away, both breathing heavily. The Doctor gazed into her green eyes, wanting to continue but knew that if they did, it could potentially lead to something else…something that would be a big step in their relationship. Alyssa gazed into the Doctor’s eyes, she too wanted to continue not due to what she was sensing from the Doctor but because she genuinely wanted to.

“I’ve changed my mind. There’s something else I want to do”

“What?” the Doctor asked wondering if she wanted what he did. In response Alyssa rested her forehead against his, closed her eyes and opened her mind. The Doctor’s own eyes widened seeing exactly what she wanted to do. “Ali….I…are you sure?” he asked when she pulled back.

“I am. Are you?”

“Yes”, the Doctor replied stepping back to allow her to hop of the counter. They walked to her room hand in hand. After the door was closed, the Doctor hesitated in making a move. As much as he wanted her, he was worried about whether it was the right thing to do, whether it was going to ruin what they already had. What they had was important to him and he didn’t want to lose that by doing something that Alyssa may not be ready for despite her showing him that she was. He just didn’t know how much she was influenced by his own emotions being an empath.

“What’s wrong?” Alyssa asked when she sensed his worry.

“I’m just worried that I may have influenced you with my emotions. I don’t want to do this if you’re not ready”

“You didn’t influence me. I am ready. I want this. Tell me: what do you want?”

“You”, the Doctor replied quietly moving closer to her putting his hands on her hips.

“Then what are you waiting for Doctor? I’m right here” that was all the Doctor needed to hear. He leant in and kissed her. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. As the couple slept, a wisp of golden energy entered the room and floated above Alyssa. It drifted down, absorbing itself into her skin causing it to briefly glow.


	59. Epilogue

Alyssa stood in the kitchen making tea for herself and the Doctor with a smile on her face. Last night had definitely been something. Something she had no regrets about. Alyssa could tell by the Doctor’s emotions and the way he looked at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world, he had no regrets either. She’d gotten pretty preoccupied by her thoughts that she didn’t even sense that the Doctor had come into the room until he had wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before murmuring “good morning beautiful”, in her ear.

“Morning”, Alyssa replied leaning back against him.

“What were you thinking about?” the Doctor asked knowing that she had to be thinking out something to not sense that he was in the room.

“Last night. It was…” Alyssa trailed off trying to think of the best way to describe it.

“Pleasurable”, the Doctor said almost seductively making Alyssa shiver. The Time Lord smirked when he felt her shiver, he loved knowing that he could make her feel that way.

“That’s one way to describe it”, she agreed. Alyssa twisted around in his grip so she was face to face with him. “So what are we going to do today?” she asked putting her arms around his neck.

“Well I was thinking that we could stay here”

“Stay here? I’d thought you’d want to have an adventure”

“Don’t have to leave the TARDIS to have an adventure”, the Doctor said giving her a suggestive look. Alyssa blushed knowing exactly what he wanted to do.

“Where exactly is this adventure going to be?”

“You pick”

Alyssa smiled before saying “your room”. The Doctor had spent the night in her room several times but she’d never stayed in his room before. The Time Lord grinned removing his arms from her waist so that he could take her hand. “Wow your room is very… blue”, Alyssa commented when she stepped into the Doctor’s room with the Time Lord.

“You like it then?” the Doctor asked as she looked around his room.

“I do very much so”, Alyssa replied turning to him “now I believe we have an adventure to start”

“That we do”, the Doctor agreed reaching out and pulling her to him. He then claimed her lips with his own.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later…

“I don’t know about this. What if she can’t handle the truth?” Alyssa asked the Doctor as she stopped at the front door. After their little ‘adventure’, they’d gone to relax in front of the TV and that was were Alyssa had decided to tell her mother the truth about what she’d been doing the past several months. It didn’t feel right to her keeping this big of a secret from her mother especially after she saw what it did to Martha’s family. It nearly destroyed them. Granted it wasn’t the Doctor’s fault, it was the Master’s. Alyssa was grateful that her own mother hadn’t been imprisoned by the crazy Time Lord. Still the year that never was made her think that it wasn’t a good idea to keep her mother in the dark anymore.

“You might be surprised Ali. She raised you all by herself knowing that you had psychic abilities”

“Yeah but it’s a big step from psychic abilities to time travelling alien, formerly our lodger”

“If you don’t want to tell her the truth, you don’t have to”, the Doctor said taking her hand “whatever you decide to do, whether its tell the truth or not, I’ll support you”

Alyssa smiled at him “thank you”. She took a breath and unlocked the house.

“Ali there you are”, Sarah said as she was coming down the stairs at the same time as her daughter and their former lodger stepped in the house “you must’ve been feeling better because I came up to you this morning with breakfast you weren’t there. Also it looks like your bed hasn’t been slept in at all”

“About that mum, there’s something I need to tell you”, Alyssa said.

“Ok”

“But I think it would be best if we went into the lounge. You’re gonna want to sit down for this” that put a slightly worried look on Sarah’s face but she did as Alyssa suggested. “I’ve been keeping a secret from you and its time you knew the truth”, Alyssa said. She took another breath before she told her mother everything. Sarah listened to what her daughter was telling her keeping her comments to herself as it was a rather unbelievable tale that Alyssa was telling her.

“That is some story Ali”

“You don’t believe me do you?”

“I don’t know honey its pretty unbelievable”, Sarah replied “I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that you’re an alien Doctor. You look human”, she said to the Doctor.

“Actually we look Time Lord. They came first”, Alyssa corrected her.

Sarah shook her head “Time Lord. Time Machines. Aliens. How do you do it Ali?”

“Do what?”

“How do you cope with all that?”

“It was pretty overwhelming to begin with but now I’m used to it”, Alyssa replied “maybe we should show her the TARDIS”, she suggested to the Doctor who nodded in agreement.

“That’s your spaceship right?” Sarah asked.

“That’s right”, the Doctor confirmed.

“You don’t have to see it if you don’t want to. I know I’ve told you a lot of stuff”

“I’d like to see it”, Sarah said standing up. The Doctor and Alyssa stood up also. The trio left the house and went around to garden shed where the Doctor opened it up to reveal the blue police box. Sarah’s mouth dropped open when she stepped inside the TARDIS. Alyssa had told her that it was bigger on the inside but it was still quite a surprise.

“Sexy I’d like you to meet my mother Sarah”, Alyssa said to the box while Sarah was still gaping in awe at the place.

**_“Pleased to meet you Sarah”_ **

“She says ‘pleased to meet you’”

“She talks to you?”

“Yep. In my head. I still have no idea why I can”, Alyssa replied “do you want to leave?” she asked sensing the mixed feelings coming from her mother.

“Would that be ok?”

“That’s fine mum”, Alyssa said escorting her mother out “feeling better?”

“A little. Sorry honey it was a bit much for me”

“Don’t worry about it. You believe me now?”

“Yeah I think I believe you now Ali. It’s still a lot take in”

“Understandable”, the Doctor said.

“Ali would it be ok if I spoke to the Doctor alone for a moment?” Sarah asked. Although she was a little overwhelmed by her daughter’s story, she wanted to talk to the Doctor about his relationship to her daughter. It was one thing that Alyssa was having feelings towards John Smith, their lodger whom she’d thought was human. But it’s an entirely different matter now she knew that he was an alien.

“Sure”, Alyssa replied. She watched as Sarah took the Doctor back into the house.

“Do you love my daughter?”

“Yes I do. She means everything to me”, the Doctor said sincerely.

“Her former boyfriend once told me that, then he cheated on her”

“I would never do that to her Sarah. I love Alyssa so much. She’s remarkable and brilliant and I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her. When we first met I was struggling to cope with losing a good friend of mine. It was your daughter who helped me move on. She’s my healer. And I’m thankful to have met her”

Sarah didn’t need to be an empath to know that he meant what he said. She could hear it in his voice and in his face that he really cared for her daughter “you really do love her”, she said “I know I can’t exactly stop Ali from travelling with you, she’s a grown woman. All I will ask is that you keep her safe”

“You have my word Sarah”

“That’s all I ask”

The pair went out to the TARDIS were Alyssa was waiting. The Doctor stood back while mother and daughter said their goodbye’s or in Alyssa’s case, her usual saying of ‘see you later’. The young woman also promised to drop in to visit every so often and to give her mother a call once in a while. “So where to next?” the Doctor asked as he and Alyssa stepped into the TARDIS.

“Somewhere amazing”, Alyssa replied. The Doctor grinned at her and ran to the console.

“Somewhere amazing coming up!” he said dashing around the console flicking switches. “Want to do the honours?” the Doctor asked gesturing to the lever that would take the TARDIS into the vortex. Alyssa grinned and put her hand on the lever.

“Allonsy!” she shouted pulling it down.


End file.
